Maya's Aura: the first two books

By Skye Smith

The first two novels in the "Maya's Aura" series are merged into this book.
The first book "Maya's Aura - the Awakening"
The second book "Maya's Aura - the Refining"

Young Maya hated the name that her aging hippie mother had saddled her with. She hated her dead-end job in a San Francisco coffee shop that didn't pay enough to allow her to rent her own apartment. She hated trying to make do with clothes from the thrift shops that never quite fit her, and always smelled musty. She hated that she was allowed only one week's vacation, and she could only save enough money to couch surf with friends.

During her one week vacation couch surfing in Vancouver and spending days on the university's beach, something happened that she could not explain. She felt someone's aura, or at least that is what she thought had happened. Curiosity made her try to feel it again and again. Slowly she began to realize that this aura thing was more than just a good feeling.

Much more, powerfully more, dangerously more, and she ceased to be the mousy young girl that cleaned tables in a coffee shop.

About the Author

Skye Smith is my pen name. My family convinced me not to use my real name because they feared that predators would use the internet to find me. You'll understand why as you fall in love with sweet Maya, my main character. I wish I could use my own name, but I can't. Sorry.

Originally I set out to write a story about vampires and witches, but those have been done to death in eBooks, so instead I gave Maya a strong aura, which allowed her to sense the presence of psychopaths. As I wrote the novel I came to realize that vampires are just psychopaths that stay up late and drink blood. Or maybe psychopaths are just vampires that have swapped their blood habit for good old fashioned greed, power, and lust.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skye Smith
• Release date: Jun 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9780988131422

Book preview

Chapter 1 - In present day Hollywood.

This is nothing but a political media event. Why are we here? Maya asked her director, Mike. Mike was a full director now, and making the sequel to the sequel of the vampire movie that had made Maya into an up-and-coming starlet.

Because the studio told us to come, was Mike's glib answer. He had even less interest than Maya in American politics. He was Canadian. He couldn't even vote. They told me that Representative Glover Walland is on the committee that oversees movie censorship. Our general rating is a bit stretched in this sequel. The studio wants to be seen supporting him.

Who is he again?

Mike looked around searching for the scrum that would mean the representative was approaching. I don't see him yet.

I don't mean point him out, she said, I meant, what is he?

Oh, so why are you asking me? I've never understood American politics.

The man standing next to Maya along the edge of the red carpet aisle started listening to her words rather than watching her cleavage. She was a knockout yellow blonde wearing a turquoise strapless mini dress that was as short below her shoulders as is it was high above her knees. He's the front runner in the race to be the Republican candidate for the presidency. He's got a real good chance of moving into the White House.

Maya thanked him and then moved away from him, to return to Mike. She hated being crowded by men, especially men she didn't know. She looked around, wondering if there was another woman around to stand beside. Yeah, like much chance of that in this crowd. They were all suits, the corporate moneymen. If this Glover guy was a frontrunner, then they would be here to throw money at him. What was the word for that? There was a word.

Opportunists, Mike told her, and she suddenly realized that she had been mumbling under her breath again. Mike nudged her. Here he comes along the red carpet, shaking hands. She craned her neck and stood on tiptoe, trying to catch a glimpse on the man in question, but couldn't. She only came up to the shoulders of all the men around her. She peeked between two sets of elbows instead.

Shaking hands, she confirmed. Maya always wore gloves in public because her fans would often try to shake her hand. The girl in gloves, yeah, right, her and the Queen of England. Oh well, it saved on hand sanitizer.

The crowd was getting noisier now that the guy of the hour was approaching. The collected odors of men, breath, tobacco, and booze was starting to get to her. Like most women, her nose was at pit level to men. Every woman she knew rubbed perfumed hand sanitizer on their pits to kill the bacteria that caused the odor. What was wrong with these guys? Were they just stupid?

She tugged off her gloves and stuffed them into Mike's jacket pocket, and then clasped her hands as if she were praying. She closed her eyes and began to center herself. She had a special place in her mind that she found whenever she needed to escape the grubby confines of reality.

It was a sunny beach, with long stretches of sand and no footprints, and she was nude and could feel the goodness of the warm sunlight kissing her skin all over, and hear the soothing sounds of the gentle waves all around her.

* * *

(Author's note - here starts the first flashback. This novel intertwines two story timelines. One present day, and one three years earlier. From chapter 2 ownwards, each chapter is completely part of one, or the other timeline, as indicated after the chapter number. Flash back now to three years earlier, on Wreck Beach, in Vancouver, Canada)

* * *

Go on, I dare you, cajoled Alicia. Maya was such a prude, such a mousy little prude, she thought . So much less worldly than she, who had grown up a lot in her year at the University of British Columbia. Maya was still so, so, so small town high school.

I don't want all those men staring at me, said Maya. It's creepy. She had been shamed into baring all on this beach. 'The' U.B.C. beach. Wreck beach. THE nudie beach. It was one thing to lay on a towel naked behind one of these giant logs, but it was quite another thing to stand up and walk around for everyone to see. She could feel her heart pumping and her face flushing at the very thought of it.

These men, Alicia sat up and waved her hand around at the naked people around them. She laughed. Maya, we're at the gay end of the beach. None of these men are going to look at you. She always sunbathed at the gay end for that exact reason. That, and because it was the end of the beach furthest from the steep staircase down from the road, where any possible future first-year boyfriends may be hanging out.

The U.B.C. jocks with their six-packs of beer and slouching around in the cutoffs that they seldom removed, never came this far up the beach. They were too insecure with their masculinity to risk the gay end. You just watched me walk around. Did anyone stare? Well, of course they stared, but it wasn't that kind of stare. They were friendly stares. Stares appreciating my youth and my healthiness.

I don't want to, Maya pouted while she looked over at Alicia sitting on her towel in the sunshine. Alicia's dyed blonde hair was overdue another root job. The young California Latina had smooth hairless legs and a bikini wax job, and there was a striking contrast in skin color where her bikini usually covered her generous breasts. She was as physically different from Maya as could be.

It was a difference that had made their high school experiences worlds apart. Alicia had developed early and had attracted boys like abejas to miel. Maya had been treated like her kid sister, always tagging along and looking like Goofy, too tall for her width.

Maya looked down along her own skin. Her skin was not white and blotchy like most fair-eyed people, but honey-colored. In too much sun it would burn red, but if she were careful it would turn a pleasing amber color. Right now she had a farmer's tan with darker arms and legs than the rest of her.

Her skin was covered in almost invisible blonde fuzz. She never bothered to shave her legs. Why bother when the hairs weren't obvious? She had never, ever dyed her hair. The winter's mousy color turned blonde with enough summer sea and sun. She was always so short of cash that her girlfriends trimmed her long hair.

Alicia pressed a finger to Maya's back to see if she was getting sunburned yet. She was OK so far. It's easy. You just stand up, straight and tall, and put your shoulders back and walk slowly. See, over there behind us? See those women selling stuff under those big umbrella tents? Walk just that far and look at the sarongs they are selling. They are beautiful and so cheap.

You know I don't have any money, Maya complained. That is why I am couch surfing at your place. I barely had the money for the gas in the ride share I caught from Frisco. My boss is such a bitch. She warned me to be back in a week. As if I had the money to stay away longer on what she pays me.

I didn't say buy the sarongs. I said go and look. Oh wait. There's the beer guy. Alicia waved to a lithe bronzed young man wearing only a back pack. She pulled the bundle that was Maya's clothes closer to her so that Maya couldn't grab her sundress and cover up while the man sold them some beer.

You ladies interested in a party? he asked as he handed them two bottles, popped them open, and then counted out their change. See over there where that log has been raised like a flag pole? We've got four guitars and some BC bud, and the best spot on the beach for watching people. Sunset isn't until almost nine tonight, so it will really be humming by then. Come over and check it out.

That sounds like fun, said Alicia, maybe later. Thanks.

They both watched as the bronzed beefcake walked away calling out Bud light, pale ale, cider.

After drinking most of her beer, strong Canadian beer, Maya came to a decision. Ok, tell the mother ship that I am going to explore the moons. She stood up and straightened her back and pulled back her shoulders so her small breasts bobbed high. For a little more courage and the feeling of a barrier, she settled her sunglasses more firmly onto her small, straight nose. A deep breath, and then she strutted over towards where the sarongs were stirring lazily in a gentle breeze.

She got lost amongst the pathways that wound between the beach logs and the sunbather's blankets, so it took her much longer than she thought to get there. She kept watching to see who was watching her. Everyone gave her a glance out of interest, and sometimes a smile, but mostly it was just glances. She felt braver seeing that almost everyone was in couples, whether gay or straight.

She smelled some dope smoke drifting in the breeze, so she knelt beside the woman with the joint and asked if she could have one toke. It was a mistake. The dope in Canada was way strong. One toke was a half a toke too much. She thanked the couple and continued on her way, now feeling even more disoriented.

There was a middle-aged man walking towards her. He was tanned and fit and Nordic-looking and he was smiling at her. She put her shoulders back again and walked purposefully, like all the models did on TV, but was careful not to encourage him by returning his smile. She turned away and pretended to look at a seagull as he passed by her less than a foot away, and then she felt it.

It was like the breeze had passed through her skin and then through her insides and then through her skin on the other side, but it was warm, and tingly and delicious. She slowed her pace and tried to recapture the feeling, but it was gone. It was like something invisible had passed through her and had kissed her with sunshine while doing so.

She stopped, just for an instant, to savor the feeling, and then started walking again until she reached the wafting lengths of colored fabric. Everything suddenly seemed very surreal. The sunlight, the sand, the beach logs, the blue sky, the gently shimmering lengths of colored rayon.

Did you feel that too? asked a deep voice from behind her. She looked around. It was the middle-aged man. He moved up to stand beside her facing the sarongs, but with his body turned away from her. It was like something passed through me. Something that was warm and caressing, but not there, but there, you know? And gone so quickly, but I didn't want it to be gone.

She was going to deny it, but then she decided not to say anything to a strange man on a beach where both of them were standing around in the nude.

At her silence he said, Well, I felt it, whatever it was. And it felt good. I was just wondering if you felt it too. I wonder what it was? Maya was still silent. She pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head, revealing lovely sea-green eyes and reached out, pretending to feel the heft of the fabric of the sarong in front of her. He spoke again. Well, I was just wondering, you know, what if we did it again? Walked towards each other, I mean, and passed each other like we did before. Do you think it would happen again?

His voice was deep and calming. He spoke quietly and softly. What he had said made sense. What harm could it do? Ok, she said, let's try. We'll follow our very same foot steps and pass at the same place.

So you did feel it too, he confirmed.

Yes, you described it well. She turned to retrace her steps.

Uh, I can't, not yet, he said. He was blushing. I'm kind of in an embarrassing way right now. Don't look. Of course that just make her look down at him, and he knew that her looking would just make it worse. The feeling. What we felt. It did it. It was instantaneous.

She stared, wondering if this was a pickup line. Maybe not, he seemed nice. She decided to give him a break. Think of football. That's what the guys do where I come from, like, to slow themselves down. They think of football. Thinking of the guys from high school made her suspicious again, and she had to ask. Is this just a come-on? Are you just trying to pick me up?

No, honestly. This is very embarrassing for me. For one thing, you are the wrong sex, and besides, I hate football. I'll try thinking of hockey.

You mean you are...

Gay, yes, and I am in a committed relationship.

But you don't look...

What, because I have a deep voice and don't shave my legs? I'm an engineer. So is my mate. Neither of us know anything about interior decorating or hair-do's. He could feel her eyes still staring down there so he turned away again. No, don't look. Here, he handed her some strangely colorful Canadian money, please choose a sarong for me, so I can cover up.

She took the money from him and snickered.

Don't be so critical of me. Have you noticed how swollen your nipples are? I'll bet the same thing that did this to me, did that to you.

She looked down, and then immediately covered her chest with her arm, suddenly feeling very exposed. He attempted to help her regain her composure by distracting her with a little retail therapy. He gestured at the sarongs with some colorful Canadian money. They are ten dollars each or two for fifteen. Buy one for yourself, too.

By the time she had chosen two from the thirty on sale, he had himself under control. He took his, and she hers and they both back tracked and repeated their walk towards each other. Just as they passed each other, it happened again.

This time she was expecting it, wanting it, and it seemed stronger and more sensuous. They immediately turned and walked towards each other again. He was frantically trying to wrap his sarong around himself. When they were face to face and a foot apart, they felt it again.

Do you think this is what they call love at first sight? she asked.

I used to think so, he replied.

You mean you have felt it before?

Yes, with my mate. That's why we live together. Neither of us were gay when we first met. He looked around. You know, this is not the place to talk about this. Come over to my blanket. We have much to discuss.

Uh, no. She was still feeling exposed, and was clumsily attempting to tie her new sarong around her. If you want to talk, you must come to my blanket. I have a friend there.

Will he beat me up?

Well, she's tough, but no, I don't think so, she chuckled.

Okay then. Wait here for me while I get my stuff. There are sneak thieves on this beach, you know. When they see you walk away nude, they close in hoping that no one is watching your stuff.

She played with her sarong while she waited for him to return. She just couldn't get it wrapped to look like the other women on the beach. Eventually the nearest woman, a heavy woman, stood up and wobbled up to her and showed her how to tie it.

It's not fair to dress and undress in front of the men, the older woman said as she smoothed the fabric. Not fair to the rest of us women. There's probably even an unwritten rule against it. She giggled a dope giggle. Tweet! Two minutes' penalty for teasing.

When the guy returned, he put out his hand. We should exchange names if we're going to exchange 'feelings'. He smiled. That sounds corny. Anyhow, I'm Erik.

Good to meet you, I'm Maya. They shook hands. Now, Erik, I have a little problem. Looking around, I don't remember where Alicia is lying down. What with all the oversized drift logs, and without anyone wearing memorable clothing, she had no landmarks. Alicia could be hidden behind any of these logs. Then she remembered the green umbrella that the people next to them had. She spotted it and then danced her way between the blankets and logs. Danced, because the sand was getting too hot to stand still on.

They arrived minutes before the green umbrella was taken down. The couples around them seemed to all be packing up to go, and they were being replaced by shirtless young men wearing baseball caps and cutoff shorts and holding open beer bottles.

Alicia, she said, this is Erik. He came to share our space and talk.

Alicia squinted into the sun at the old man. He was even older than thirty. If you say so. She wriggled her towel to the edge of the blanket to make room, and even though she covered her breasts with one arm while she did it, she still showed too much jiggle. She heard a man moan and looked over to the next log where a Joe six-pack had just arrived.

If I may suggest, said Erik, all the rest of the women are leaving the beach. The boys from Burnaby are here early today. Why don't we talk over lunch? Sushi. My treat.

Sushi, you mean raw fish? Alicia made a face.

Yes please, said Maya. She also had been noticing how quickly all the women and couples had been packing up. In her home town, it was a good rule of thumb that you left the Saturday night dance when the rest of the women left. Fresh tuna. Please. I haven't had fresh tuna since I was in high school and helped the fishermen with their catches. Sushi is so expensive in Frisco.

Well, welcome to Vancouver, he said, land of the six-dollar lunch tray.

* * *

The cliff trail to the street was a wondrous forest walk going down, but grinding and breathless going back up. They puffed up the rough steps in a straggled line of groups of women and their escorts. Meanwhile, groups of loud men carrying cooler chests were rocketing down towards the beach.

He's a lurker, a perv, Alicia warned her, yet again, when they stopped, yet again, to catch their breath.

He's gay and very polite.

Yeah, I saw his politeness when he took off his sarong to put his shorts on. He's on the make.

What are you complaining about? He gave the sarong to you, didn't he? Now we both have sarongs.

Sarongs are cheap. So is sushi. I'm not, Alicia said between gasps of sucking wind. Three women pushed passed her chatting as they walked up the rough steps. She hated Canadian women. They were all twenty pounds lighter than their American equivalents, and fitter. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. and glared at Maya. Fine for you miss, like, size four. Go ahead, dance up these next steps and make me hate you forever.

She looked at Erik waiting patiently behind them. With his clothes on he looked very GQ. He probably was gay, like Maya had told her. Repeatedly told her. Maya was so naive. Gay in Vancouver just meant bi-sexual, meaning that they would hump anything.

At the top of the trail they crossed the cliff-top road and followed Erik to his car. It was an almost new Mercedes two-door in a reserved parking space. Don't you get a ticket for, like, parking in the staff spaces? asked Alicia.

I am staff. This is my space, replied Erik. He opened the passenger door and flipped the seat to give access to what passed for a back seat. Alicia tumbled into the back. He had not even driven out of the parking lot when he stopped the car. Maya, please trade seats with Alicia. You are too, umm, distracting.

As they got out of the car to switch seats, Alicia whispered, If he wants you, ask for a thousand.

What, Maya replied, a thousand what? She saw Alicia give her that stare, like she was being naive again.

Dollars, Alicia whispered as Maya ducked her head into the car and crawled into the back.

While they were playing musical chairs, Erik had phoned in an order for sushi. They drove directly to the Japanese takeaway, and while he was inside Maya asked, A thousand dollars for what?

He's an old perv. Who cares for what, but whatever he wants, it will cost him a thousand.

He's not a perv. He is very polite.

If he won't go the full thousand, Alicia said thoughtfully, carrying on as if Maya hadn't spoken, tell him he can have us both for the same price.

You're disgusting.

You're stupid, Alicia replied. You're going to end up giving it away. He is drooling over you. You need money. Look at this car. He has money.

This isn't about sex, shrugged Maya.

Yeah, right. Maybe it's not about sex to you, but I saw his boner. It is totally about sex to him.

Erik came out of the shop carrying a large plastic tray, which he put down on the seat behind the driver. Alicia looked at the order. It looked expensive. You're spending a lot of money on us. What do you expect for it?

Erik smiled at her. I just want to talk to Maya in private. I have no problem with you coming along like her security blanket, just like women in a pub go to the powder room in pairs. No problem, there's lots of food.

He drove calmly while they all enjoyed the breathtaking views that Vancouver threw at you around every corner. He followed the coast route towards town alongside miles and miles of beaches, now busy with ethnic family picnics, and beach volleyball tournaments. No one spoke until he turned into his driveway.

* * *

* * *

MAYA'S AURA - the Awakening by Skye Smith

Chapter 2 - In present day Hollywood.

She allowed the beach scene in her mind to be hazed over by a milk white light. It was her aura. Whenever she was busy with big city things, and especially when she was in close quarters with stressed-out men, her aura seemed to go into hiding deep inside of her. She felt a nudge on her elbow and so she dropped her hands and opened her eyes.

Damn, the man of the moment was almost up to them. She looked at her gloves in Mike's pocket but she didn't have time to put them on. She looked at the man walking slowly along the red carpet occasionally pressing hands, and sometimes saying something to people he recognized, or pretended to recognize.

He was a tall man, a handsome man, with coiffed hair from the latest cover of GQ, and wearing a dark suit that was obviously especially tailored for him. His smile was gentle and pleasing and his teeth shone pearl white. She heard Mike whisper, Pay attention. He'll stop at you for a photo op. You are the only woman.

Mike was right. The man grabbed her hand and lightly pulled her towards him and then twisted them both to face the cameras. At first touch, his hand felt warm and dry but then she sensed a darkness, a darkness that was creeping into her. The calm from her aura deserted her and then all the man smells were overcome by another smell, a stronger smell, an acrid smell.

Every woman would know the smell. Everyone at one time or another had set off the smoke alarm because a poorly-sliced bagel jammed in the toaster. While the charred toast smell fills the room they flap the tea towel frantically under the smoke alarm, or use the broom to reach up to the smoke alarm's reset button.

An inner coldness chilled her, and she gasped for breath, and took a half-step to regain her balance. She had to do something quickly to break his touch, otherwise she might have swooned with the darkness and the smell. She yanked her hand out of his grip and then moved ahead of him as if she had pulled her hand away only to pose for the photographers.

Behind her she could hear Mike telling him three times the name of the studio and then twice the title of the film, and then finally her name and that she was the starlet of the film. The man nodded his head as if he were listening. He wasn't. She knew actors, professional actors, and this man had the same awareness of the camera as an actor. It was the camera above anyone else. He was posing without being seen to pose.

She closed her eyes to try to fight off the sudden dizziness she was feeling, and there was white light, which made her feel better, until she realized that it was the camera flashes and not her aura. A photographer asked her to open her eyes and smile, which she did. After all, she was actress. She could smile on command, even make love to the camera on command.

Finally, when she thought that she couldn't hold the false smile any longer, the dashingly handsome man kissed her on the forehead and then started moving along the red carpet again, working the crowd.

She took three steps, luckily without falling to the dizziness she felt, and grabbed hold of Mike's arm.

That went well, don't you think? asked Mike looking away, following the procession with his eyes. Nothing works better than a pretty girl to stop an important man in his tracks. I hope he remembers the studio name and the film name if we ever should need his support with the censors.

Yeah, I guess, she said weakly. Can we go now? I'm not feeling well.

It's those damn jet planes and their air conditioning systems, he said, forgetting the politician for a moment and looking down at the young actress. They still had some scenes to shoot at the studio. They had flown in only yesterday from the movie location in Vermont to use the special effects set in the company's main studio. Don't you be getting sick on me, love.

You can stay if you want. I need a bath and a bed and quickly. I feel, like, the heebie jeebies, you know?

Why would I want to stay? I can't even vote. Let's get out of here. We can pick up some sushi on the way back to the house. We should probably do an eggs, milk, bread run at the same time. The refrigerator looked pretty bare.

Just remember that you won't find Vancouver prices for sushi. This is Hollywood.

What do I care? It's an allowable expense. I'll stick the company for it, he snickered.

They made their way through the crowds, who were now all pushing forward while the couple were trying to reach the doors. Mike started pleading her sex to get through the crush of men. Make way, let her get through. Hey fella, you're a big guy. Could you clear a space so she can walk through?

Eventually they made it to the coat check. They both had long trench coats; hers concealed her body from neck to mid-calf. It was a good thing. Dressed as she was, they would never have gotten through the paparazzi that were always blocking the access to the limos. He gave the parking ticket to the valet and they waited as he rushed off to find their car.

As they stood waiting for the car, the paparazzi started to take an interest in them. Hiding Maya's dress and body and pulling her collar high would not fool them for much longer. She was too pretty of face, and her hair was obviously professionally done up.

A Town and Country minivan pulled up and the valet exchanged car keys for cash, and the paparazzi drifted away from them. VIP's never rode in minivans. Don't tell the studio that I rushed you past some photographers, he warned, or else the PR office will have my balls.

She settled back into the leather passenger seat and did up her seat belt. In the minivan they would disappear behind the incognito mirage of a young and boring married couple with kids. She relaxed and smiled, thinking of the tricks VIP's used in order to evade all the cameras these days. In a world where everyone had a camera on their phone, privacy was rare and cherished.

She sat in the car the whole time Mike was in the sushi joint waiting for the order. With the doors locked she was safe. She could allow herself to find her special place again and find the comfort of her aura. She spaced out while Mike drove to the supermarket and while he was buying groceries. She did open her eyes as she was pressed back in her seat when the car began the ascent up into the Hollywood hills above Sunset Strip.

She was feeling better, and finally spoke. So that guy said that what's his name, Glover, was...

Was the front runner to lead the Republican Party into the next Presidential election. He seemed like a good choice. Very polished, very personable. He even controlled himself and didn't play grab ass with you. That puts him high in my books.

Yeah, she said scornfully, well, I'll reserve judgment on that, like, until the day he gets me alone all to himself without twenty camera flashes going off. She looked down the steep slope of the hillside and watched the streetlights slowly become fuzzy in the thickening smog. I really miss Vancouver.

So do I, but it can't be helped. The company is getting heat about not making enough of its films in the USA. How long has it been since you were there?

Way too long.

* * *

* * *

MAYA'S AURA - the Awakening by Skye Smith

Chapter 3 - Three years earlier in Kitsilano, Vancouver

Erik slowed the Mercedes to a crawl as he rolled into the driveway. He had already clicked the remote and was timing the garage doors to open.

You live here? said Alicia, really, no fooling? The house was newly renovated and was on the waterfront side of the beach front road that wound along the coast towards the trendy neighborhood of Kitsilano.

Karl and I are both engineers. We both earn well. He pointed to the other car in the garage, a roughly-used Dodge mini van. That is our real car. The Merc is just a toy.

A soccer mom van, Alicia giggled.

Not any more. Soccer moms all drive chick SUV's these days. Mini vans have become the car of choice for tradesmen and university students.

Y'now, life just isn't fair, complained Alicia, two women working can barely pay the rent on a basement suite, but two men working can live in a place like this.

Shoes off. This is a no shoes house, he said. We like to sit on the floor.

He convinced Alicia to give herself a tour of the house, so that he could snatch some moments alone with Maya. They sat on the two high stool-chairs at the island in the kitchen, him picking politely at the tuna sashimi with his chop sticks, and her wolfing it down with her fingers.

That feeling we felt on the beach, let's call it the aura. I was feeling yours and you were feeling mine, he began.

It was delicious, she said as she slurped another square of Ahi down, and so is this tuna, and so is this house, and so is that view. She waved her hands at the view of Vancouver's outer harbor and the North Shore mountains stretching high behind it.

I have been feeling auras since I was twenty-one, so that's, umm, fourteen years now. That is why I live with Karl. We both feel them. We both have them. We liked the feeling too much not to live together.

I've never felt it before. So was it, like, because I smoked some dope, or, like, because we were both naked, or just because I was feeling, you know, excited, by walking around in the nude while men watched me.

Umm, all of the above I suppose. Karl and I explored it and researched it and practiced it a lot when we were younger and first together. We had lots of questions and found few answers. We still don't know what it really is or what causes it.

So why haven't I felt it before?

I don't know. How do you know you haven't? he asked.

Oh, believe me, I would have known. It felt like - I mean it was, like, well, I liked the feeling a lot. Maya grinned impishly at him. Why do you think I am sitting in a strange man's kitchen eating raw fish? I want to feel it again.

No. Alicia had walked into the kitchen at that moment and reached between them to grab a California roll. She popped the whole piece into her mouth and smushed it between her teeth and tongue. Mmmm, good. She had the American habit of talking with her mouth full and the slurred words came out between noisy chews. She is not doing anything for you unless you pay her a thousand dollars.

What? He gave her a hard stare, annoyed, but he couldn't keep it up without having to watch her tongue mushing rice and seaweed, so he looked back towards Maya. Maya was also looking annoyed at her friend. I don't want to have sex with her. I just wanted to talk.

Yeah, like I believe you. Alicia said reaching passed him for more rolls, and purposefully brushing her large, braless breasts across his arm as she did so. Been there, done that. First you only want to talk, but hey, why don't we share some wine, and then presto, you accidentally end up doing her, and then never pay up.

Are you her pimp? he asked Alicia with a hint of anger, then he looked at Maya and softened his voice. Are you a prostitute? He really hoped the answer was no.

No, Maya said quickly, neither of us are. She is a student at U.B.C., and I am up here visiting her from Frisco. Alicia, take a plate of sushi and go and watch the view or something. Like, you're being a turd.

How much time do you have left in Vancouver? he asked.

Three days, then I have to help deliver a rental car back to Frisco airport.

He was silent while he tried not to watch Alicia mush two rolls at once in her open mouth. He pulled at her sleeve. Okay, a thousand dollars, but for three days and she has to stay in this house. He noticed that Maya was now looking at him in shock and her face was turning red.

Alicia stopped chewing for a second, then spat sticky rice with her words. For three days, fifteen hundred.

A thousand, he repeated.

Fifteen hundred but we'll both do you, Alicia spat out, then when she saw the look on his face she added, don't worry, you'll get your money's worth.

He wracked his brain for what to say, until he remembered an episode of Two and a Half Men. A thousand, but I want the girlfriend experience, so you can't be here.

Maya slid off the stool and grabbed her beach bag. I'm out of here. Alicia, she fumed, angry with them both, peddle your own ass. You are welcome to him. Her arm was grabbed by Erik who swung her around to face him.

I don't want to have sex with you. I just want... he began softly.

No weird shit, interrupted Alicia, none of that pervert homo stuff. Straight up safe sex and nothing else, or I'll, like, sic the cops on you.

Maya, please, he whispered to Maya as she shook her arm free, I was just pissed with your friend. I really just want to explore your aura.

She looked back at him. They were both trying to ignore Alicia who was saying something about cash up front. She looked around at the lovely house, and the fantastic view. It was so different from her dark, damp, shared basement suite in Frisco, and from Alicia's stark, tiny room at the university residence.

All right. I'll stay here with you. As she said it she closed her eyes to think. My god what was she doing? She would be at his mercy. What if he was a pervert, like Alicia said. She opened her eyes and looked into his. They were dark blue, calm, friendly. I'll have to fetch my bag from Alicia's. We have to drop her off anyway. She has a term paper due.

Yeah, and where is your bank? Alicia piped in. She reached for another handful of rolls thinking that the plastic sushi tray was about to disappear into the fridge.

Take your time. Eat slowly and enjoy each taste, he said as Alicia stuffed two into her mouth. Let's take the tray onto the deck to finish it. Do you want beer or wine with it?

Wine, they both replied immediately. California girls. White with fish, they said looking at each other and giggling. Each looked at the other's flushed face. They had grown up together. They knew the flush. It was the flush of being naughty. What could be naughtier than the bargaining that they had just done?

While Erik went to get wine and glasses, they carried the tray and the plates through the sliding doors at the other end of the dining area and out onto the deck. Can you believe this house? Alicia whispered. Ohmigod, there's a hot tub. She put the plates down on the glass patio table and hauled the foam cover off the tub.

Erik arrived with drinks just in time to see Alicia strip off her cutoffs and T-shirt and ease herself into the tub. She was what, barely twenty, and she already had a spreading ass and the start of saddlebags. She was a fake blonde, and her bikini tan lines showed that she did not suntan at Wreck Beach often enough.

He put the wine down on the table and spun on his heel to fetch towels. Maya was standing by the table pouring the wine. She was in a light yellow halter sun dress. A style he had not seen since he had been her age. He hoped it was making a comeback. It was a good look. Much preferable to grunge jeans, short T-shirt, and bare midriff.

She took a sip of the wine. It was bubbly, but just a bit. It was tart, but just a bit. It was very nice. She spun the bottle to read the label. Italian.

It's Prosecco, he said, putting the towels down on a bench beside the tub. If we were sitting beside a canal in Venice, that's what we would be drinking.

She beamed at him. Take me to Venice.

Maya, I am a married man, and I am faithful.

I thought you were gay.

I am married to Karl. I don't cruise.

Then what were you doing in the gay section at the nude beach? Isn't that a prime cruising place? She knew she had caught him out. He was blushing.

Same as you. Teasing men, he whispered. He heard Alicia splashing in the tub and calling for wine so he took her some. When he turned back to Maya she was nude and standing still, gazing out to sea. He took a moment to savour the view, as it framed her so artistically. She was middle height, about 5'6" he estimated, with tiny pert breasts, and long legs. He thought she looked almost anorexic, she was so slight. She looked as if she had yet more growing to do, unlike a lot of almost 20-yr olds who should already be paying attention to diet and fitness. She was a real blonde.

Take your clothes off and walk past me, she ordered. He did as she said. She felt it again. Oh, how delicious.

Did you notice that you felt it sooner, when we were further apart than on the beach? he asked softly.

I, uh, why, uh, yes. I did. And it was stronger this time. And, like, it had the same instant effect on you.

He looked down. He was swollen hard. He blushed and hid himself by scuttling over to the hottub and lowering himself in. Maya was smiling as she handed him his wine. Alicia, on