Prophecy of the Emerald Tablet: The New Breed of Immortals, #1

By T.L. Fletcher

  "Man is only what he believeth, a brother of darkness or a child of light." (Emerald Tablet of Thoth)

 

An evolving immortal bloodline has now become something the supernatural world fears. Many in their world want their destruction, unwilling to execute the threat themselves except for one. He is a hybrid of half-vampire and half -immortal. 

 

The hybrid is known by the name of Lazshul, an evil being without remorse, and was a brother to Colin. There were only known to be two hybrids in existence, Colin and Lazshul. Lazshul's plan was to destroy Colin and control their world. There is one major obstacle however to this plan, and that is Rebeka and her family who are the new breed of immortals, and they are not alone. The most ancient of immortals to have been documented known only as the Old Ones are helping them to evolve and embrace their destiny. One that was foretold in the Emerald Tablet many centuries ago. Enemies that have never known fear will now become well acquainted with its true meaning.  

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.L. Fletcher
• Release date: Aug 7, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201222987

Book preview

Deannadh gach neach a dhicheal

(What er’e thou art, act well thy part.)

Original author, unknown, comes from Gaelic proverb/motto:

CHAPTER ONE

THE FIRST ENCOUNTER

AFTER TWENTY MINUTES of trying to resuscitate my patient, who had coded during an emergency open heart surgery, I called for the time of death and the scrub nurse responded reluctantly, The time of death, 19:20 hours, Dr. Morgan, Ann reported sadly. I stepped back away from the surgical table as the others removed the monitors and IV from the patient. Ann handed me the clipboard bearing the patient’s report for me to sign. While the O.R. team finished taking care of the patient, I retreated into the scrub room and took off my surgical mask, gown, hat and gloves, and deposited them into the designated disposal bins. Standing in front of the scrub sinks, I grabbed the prepackaged disposable scrub brush and soap and began scrubbing my nails, hands, and forearms. Everything at that moment was both a familiar exercise and yet surreal at the same time. The familiar smell of hibiclens hung in the air and filled my nostrils, unlike the smell of blood and death that existed in the other room. It was like having an out-of-body experience, stepping back and seeing myself going through the motions of the scrubbing ritual after surgery and yet disconnected from feeling anything. I rinsed off and dried my arms and hands. My feet moved me out the door into the hall towards the waiting room to find Mrs. Davenport, and inform her of her husband's death. Still in my scrubs I was Pushing myself forward, I could still smell the antiseptic soap. I felt the knot in the pit of my stomach over what I had to do next. On seeing me, she began slowly rising from her seat, staring at me expectantly. I’m sorry, Grace, we did all we could. He didn’t make it. Her eyes brimmed with tears. They spilled down her cheeks as she stood silently, nodding her head in acknowledgement, she took a slow deep breath in then slowly exhaled. I’d hoped we’d gotten here in time, but I heard him whisper to me before you took him to the O.R., Remember I love you, and he squeezed my hand before letting it go. I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew then I wouldn’t see him again. Thank you for trying, she said softly, clearly struggling to hold back her emotions, her lips held in a tight line of pain. We said our goodbyes as the nurse came to take her to get her husband's things.

I RETURNED TO THE LOCKER room to the familiar scene of metal lockers lined up against the walls, each with their own combination locks. There was a row of benches in the middle, and a stack of white scrubs in one corner. The unique smell of hospital cleaning products was still in the air, mixing in with the musky scent of sweat and leather from the lockers. The hum of the air conditioning was interrupted by the occasional creak from a locker opening or closing that echoed throughout the room. The room was now empty and everything silent except for the faint beeping of machines echoing through from outside. As I changed back into my street clothes, my fingers fumbling with the buttons on my shirt as I dressed quickly, and my mind continued thinking about the earlier events. No matter how many times I’ve had to tell someone’s loved one that their beloved was gone it never got any easier. Not being able to save my patient today was difficult, yes, but having to tell his wife he didn’t make it was even more challenging. Times like this made the knowledge of knowing I would have to watch my posterity die while I continued to live on seem insurmountable.

IT BROUGHT HOME THE harsh reality of the world of which I was now unwillingly a part of. What cruel fate had decided to hand me this gift of immortality? Surely the universe had its reasons for this. One of the hardest things about this existence was having to keep this secret for the duration of my existence, however long that would be. Not being able to confide in the ones I love without putting them at mortal risk was distressing. At that moment, I realized I was still standing in front of the locker in the locker room. Taking a few moments to gather myself and be present I took my jacket off the hanger and put it on. Then I grabbed my purse and headed out of the locker room door, stepping into the doctors’ lounge area. Goodnight Dr. Shakeri I’ll see you tomorrow, I said, and he nodded as he continued to read the Wall Street Journal while sitting in the most coveted recliner in the room.

THE HALLS WERE FILLED with people. People of all shapes, sizes and ages were scurrying around, trying to find their destinations. Some were hurrying into work or leaving at day’s end. The nurses were busy rounding up visitors and informing them it was time to leave. The clicking of heels on linoleum tiles, the clanging of keys being jingled together, were all in time with the whistles from the workers that signaled their day's end. I tried to get through the crowds of people and to the elevator, still thinking about poor Mrs. Davenport's face as I told her the news of her husband. A chill went through me. I shook my head to clear my mind of the picture. Tonight,I knew sleep would elude me.

I WALKED THROUGH THE E.R. Nothing changes, it always smells of antiseptic, Clorox and blood, I thought. The familiar smells of the hospital hung in the air and filled my senses as I made my way towards the front doors. I maneuvered through the people who were just leaving after visiting hours. I walked through the automated doors onto the sidewalk and into the crisp, night air. Taking a deep breath in, clearing my nose of the hospital smells. Stopping just long enough to zip up my white Eddie Bauer jacket over my navy blue dress. It was still a little cold in the evenings, even though it was the beginning of spring. I took in the night sky and let out a deep sigh, feeling somewhat relieved to be away from the hospital and its chaotic atmosphere. Looking up, I saw a cloudy sky with the stars bright lights piercing their way through. They were winking down at the earth below as if they were greeting all those who noticed them. The smell of freshly cut grass filled my nostrils as I took a deep breath in. A feeling of contentment swept over me. Taking in a deeper breath, I smelled the fresh night air with a hint of pending rain. I felt comforted by their presence. The first thing I wanted to do when I got home was to curl up with my favorite companion - a good book - and forget about work by immersing myself in another world, one that was devoid of this reality.

AS I WALKED TOWARDS my car, I pulled the collar of my jacket tighter around my neck. There was a chill that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and the feeling of icy fingers running down my spine that wasn’t caused by the brisk night air. My senses were firing. I could feel someone was watching me. In turning around to search for where it was coming from I found nothing but the people going in and out of the hospital doors, which did not differ from any other night. I had learned to trust my instincts, and they were warning me to be on my guard. I was being watched. Should I run? No, that would only inform whomever it was that was watching me that I knew they were there. I was but a few feet away from my car. I nervously fumbled with my keys as I attempted to hit the starter button of my vehicle. My heart was pounding in my chest as I felt the presence of whoever was still watching me. I Got in quickly and locked the doors behind me and gripping the steering wheel tight with both hands until my knuckles turned white. I slowly exhaled, realizing that I had been holding my breath the whole time.

THE NIGHT SEEMED TO drag on forever. I tossed and turned in my bed, trying to find a comfortable position but not succeeding. I kept replaying the scene of the parking lot over and over again in my head, attempting to figure out who could have been watching me and why. Eventually sleep came, but it was a restless one filled with nightmares being chased and unable to get away. That following morning, I decided I would relax and enjoy myself. After showering, I put my long black hair up into a messy bun, pulled on a pair of jeans and a dark blue hoodie that said SCOTLAND in white lettering along the front of it. Then I slipped on a pair of royal blue Adidas running shoes. My usual methods of coping were to go on nature walks and gardening. I hadn’t slowed down for such a long time that this was definitely a rare moment for me. Having time to think was not a good thing for me. Today I would surround myself with mother nature. The red alder trees and hemlock trees were all budding with new life. The green grass had a few patches of Iris Tenax growing, and they were displaying their exotic blooms of bright blues and brilliant purples. The bright morning sun reflected off of the blades of grass, all providing an almost magical atmosphere. It was in this tranquil state that I noticed the small patchers of Iris Tenax that had started to bloom around me. This gave me great joy and at once made me feel more connected to nature and life itself. I watched as a honey bee cautiously approached one of these exotic flowers, carefully avoiding its petals as it collected nectar from its center. The tranquil atmosphere of the walk had given me time to relax and clear my head but the gnawing feeling of being watched was still present.

HAVING ARRIVED HOME, I pulled opened my mahogany wood, English cottage style back door. The doors opened into a small mudroom off of the kitchen, leading up a hallway to the living room, with no doors separating them. Making my way through the hallway, I could still feel a faint energy in the air that wasn't mine. I knew it was fear. I continued making my way towards the stairs, holding my breath and tense with anticipation. I slowly started to ascend up the wooden stairs, one step at a time. As I made my way up, I kept glancing over my shoulder to see if anyone was following me or if there was any sign of movement from downstairs. My heart raced faster with every step I took until I reached the top of the stairs. With that final step taken my body was tense with the anticipation of danger I continued on to my room. Someone was definitely in my house while I was out walking. Taking a deep breath in I could smell something familiar, but couldn’t quite figure out what the scent was. I had smelled the same thing last night when I was leaving work and felt like I was being watched then. What was the scent?

THAT'S IT! IT’S TIME to go shopping. If anything was going to take my mind off of things, it was shopping. I grabbed my keys and left, driving with no particular destination in mind. I had ignored the pain and loneliness for so long now. Why? Why NOW?! It was all caving in on me. My innate stubbornness refused to let it happen! While I was driving, I relaxed. The trees going by my window were sprouting green buds again, lush green grass and wildflowers were pushing up through the soil here and there to greet the world and drink up the warm sun. The parking lot was just filling up with afternoon shoppers. Before starting my shopping spree, I had lunch at Carino’s classic Italian restaurant. It was already buzzing with business. It was nice to eat somewhere other than in the hospital cafeteria or Smart Ones frozen dinners at home. The waitress came over to take my order and looked like she was straight out of a magazine for the top 10 restaurants to visit. The waitress's name tag was black with gold lettering. It said Cordelia. She had pulled her sun-bleached blond hair up in a bun and she wore a white button-up shirt with a black pencil skirt, along with a black apron tied with a bow around her waist. Cordelia had a beautiful smile showing perfect white teeth. Clearly, her father must have paid a fortune to do them. I ordered a Wedge Salad and a green tea with a lemon slice. A few hours later, after wandering through Nordstrom; Bath and Body Works, and Hollister’s and buying a few unneeded items, I was ready to go home.

WHEN I PULLED INTO my driveway, I sat in my car for a moment, feeling a sense of heaviness come over me. This was an everyday battle that had become routine to me. I knew I had to go to work in the morning and do this all over again. My life was no worse than anyone else. I had a family and did my best to get through it. It was when my husband and two sons died, everything changed, and it wasn’t just the obvious things. There was much more that had changed and had to remain a protected secret - even from my remaining children and I did so for quite a few years by explaining that my lack of aging was because of my good genetics. The children had grown into young adults, and I had made the decision that it was time to move on and travel and see the world. That was how I came to be in Corvallis.

I want to live in a place where strangers rush to help someone in distress.

Author: Ian McEwan

CHAPTER TWO

THE STRANGER

COLIN SAT PERCHED HIGH atop of an ancient Atlas Cedar tree located a few hundred yards from the northeast side of the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. The moon gave off a haunting glow. It was partially obscured by dark rain clouds that were moving overhead, illuminated by the moonlight. Although he was immune to temperatures he still felt the variances of hot and cold, as well as the winds that lightly grazed over, around, and through the branches. The branches high above him swayed slightly in the late night breeze, but caused no disturbance in his perfect balance. Though spring had arrived, the air still carried a chill that spoke of winter's recent departure.

COLIN WATCHED THE PEOPLE exiting the hospital with a distant interest - remembering a time long past when hospitals were much smaller. He saw a woman with dark hair stride out of the emergency room doors in a daze. She didn't seem to take any notice of those who moved around her, like an immovable gray boulder situated in the middle of a fast-flowing stream. There was something foreboding about this woman. It was almost as though his mind was screaming at him, Stop! The voice in Colin’s head grew louder. Stay away from her you fool! In an instant, he spotted one of Lazshul's men. He shook his head to dispel the confusion in his mind. Was he really hearing these these things or was someone playing tricks on him?

COLIN STAYED VERY STILL, his piercing gaze following her every movement, his pale skin illuminated by the moonlight. His eyes never leave hers as though he is trying to discern any hidden clues regarding her identity and intentions. His body was tense and he was on full alert, ready to act should the situation arise. He slowly moved down from limb to limb of the tree and moved closer to her. The closer he got to her, the more foreboding she felt. There were rumors that Immortals could sense one another, and yet Colin and his clans had not sensed her existence until this moment. When Colin first noticed her, a loud thumping in his ears began, along with pounding against his eardrums, that echoed a swishing sound similar to that of a heart pumping blood. Colin felt an immense pressure in his chest as though his heart would rip it open and expose him to the world. He had never felt such intense emotion before, and now all at once he felt overwhelmed with the fear and anxiety that seemed to be driving him towards her. He could see the danger, but he was determined to learn more about her. He looked closer and beheld a bright aura of pure light surrounding her, void of all colors. Her hair was raven black, cascading down her back and reflecting the moon's glowing light. When he looked closer at her face with his enhanced vampiric sight; he found her eyes were deep pools of darkness swirling and churning with grey-black storm clouds. The whites of her eyes were a pale blue-grey, and her pupils were wide and black, as if a storm was about to be unleashed from within them. Colin felt an intense gravitational pull towards her as though he was being taken hold of and forcibly brought to her presence.

THE ELECTRICITY IN the air crackled around him, making the hair on his body stand on end, and hum with excitement. He felt a tingle in his fingers and toes, as though he was being charged up like a battery. His muscles tightened as though readying themselves to pounce upon prey. Perhaps there was a spell that had been keeping her cloaked from the mortal world and from other immortals. Colin was sure the presence of Lazshul's troops in the area had something to do with this woman. While he watched Lazhul’s minion closely; he observed that one of them had ensconced himself behind an Aspen tree. He turned in Colin’s direction, and their eyes locked into an unspoken battle. The man looked absurdly like he had walked right out of a TV series from the past. He wore a black leather Fonzie jacket; his hair greased back into a ducktail, a white T-shirt with blue jeans and military issued black boots.

THERE CAME A GUTTURAL sound from somewhere deep within Colin's chest that escaped his lips without his bidding. This would not bode well, not for this abomination who was still playing at being human. Colin felt the coolness of battle envelop him, slowing down everything and everyone around him as though frozen in time. He continued to move behind her unseen, flying across the parking lot at the speed of sound. His body slammed into the Fonzy wanna be like a freight train at full speed on a downhill grade. Anyone in the vicinity would have thought it was just some peculiar thunderstorm that began out of the blue. Rainstorms were common, it was Oregon. Colin sank his teeth deep into this thing’s cold, lifeless flesh and began ripping and tearing his throat out before it could even flinch. Obviously, this being didn’t have the centuries of finely honed fighting skills Colin had, because this evil monstrosity had hesitated to act. Costing it the end of its very existence.

THE UNDEAD CREATURE slid down the trunk of the tree it had just slammed into, leaving behind a trail of fragmented bark. As it hit the ground, it collapsed in a heap. Its head lolling to one side and staring up at the night sky blankly through lifeless coal-black eyes. A pool of deep scarlet red was forming around it and slowly spreading outward over the green grass that was just emerging from its winter slumber. Colin looked toward the parking lot just in time to see the mystery woman he was just protecting drive away in a black Audi A8.

COLORS IN EVERY HUE imaginable were alive and vibrant all around him; blues brighter than a cloudless sky, greens more vivid than emerald, oranges that reminded him of the first sunrise he'd ever seen. His ears were thrumming with the sounds of the nightlife that now came to life and was surrounding him. Apocalyptic base thumps vibrated in Colin's ears and the distant howls of wolves created an eerie symphony. The distant chirps and buzzes of crickets were echoes of an earthy orchestra. The smell of copper was in the air and the bitter taste of metal lingered in his mouth from the blood of the creature. The aromas of damp earth and wet wood were in the air, combined with faint traces of wildflowers blooming in the night. The crisp scent of pine needles was also present. His body was still vibrating with energy from the thrill of the battle. Colin had to come up with a plan to keep this woman away from Lazshul and his savage forces, even if she herself seemed dangerous. He found himself unable to stop from being pulled toward her. He was driven to reach her before Lazshul, though he couldn't understand why. The pressing worry was that Lazshul’s forces were watching her at this same moment. Not what the connection between them was, or at least that was what he told himself.

THE LOOK ON HER FACE when Colin had first seen her was one of determination and steeliness. Her face was without an expression of emotion and with an air of indifference. Clearly, she was guarding herself. In that, they were the same. Colin was going to have to get close to her in order to keep Lazshul's forces away from her, despite his apprehension. He resolved himself to keep distanced from this woman, at least emotionally. He had to keep focused and not be distracted by this strange foreboding attraction to her. The last time he trusted anyone was Lazshul, and the aftermath of that experience had stuck with him for centuries. The pain was beyond anything he had ever felt and never wanted to feel again. Colin’s mind wandered back to the time of his betrayal.

IT WAS IN THE YEAR 1586 that Colin had first met Lazshul. An unknown being or thing had attacked both Colin and Lazshul. He watched over and cared for Lazshul until he had woken up after the attack. Colin was more fortunate in that he had recovered more quickly than Lazshul. They had searched and explored what they had become together and agreed not to harm mortal beings, or so Colin thought. Lazshul had broken that agreement by killing a local girl and betrayed Colin's trust. Leaving Colin to clean up the mess alone, along with a departing threat that he would search for a way to end Colin’s existence. All because Colin would not condone his actions and join him in his experimentations with mortals. Colin’s mind returned to the present as he realized he had been running mindlessly towards his destination of home and had forgotten to gather the blood bags he was to take back with him.

COLIN RETURNED HOME with one thought on his mind - how to protect this woman from Lazshul. He went into the library and sat down in the deep brown leather Victorian style parlor chair that sat off to the side of the fireplace that someone had already thoughtfully started, as though knowing when he would return. He sat drumming his fingers on the arms of the chair with the lines of concentration showing between his brows, as he was deep in thought. He kept seeing her face, her stormy blue eyes drawing him in, deeper and deeper, as though he were slowly being pulled under dark waters, drowning in the abyss. The sound of footsteps approached, wrenching him out of his thoughts. Invisible hands reached down and pulled him through its depths to the surface of the dark waters that had engulfed him. He knew the sound of these footsteps as well as he knew the man. It was his dear friend Tyr that he heard before he came into the room. Colin looked up and found him eyeing him with concern.

IT'S ABOUT TIME. WHERE have you been? You said nothing about doing patrol after you left the hospital, Tyr said, standing with his arms crossed in front of his chest, and his brows furrowed.

I apologize, but after I tell you what happened, I'm sure you'll understand.

AFTER COLIN EXPLAINED to Tyr about the woman who was a future immortal or already one, and that he had found Lazshul’s forces watching her, Tyr understood indeed. You're right. I understand why you were late now that you have regaled me, dear brother. If Lazshul is indeed interested in her, then we have no choice but to keep a watchful eye on her, Tyr said, acknowledging Colins assessment. Do you think the Argonians know about her yet, Tyr asked?

WHAT? WAIT WHO,COLIN asked?

Oh,Tyr said, realizing that Colin had no idea what he was talking about. It's something I came up with for Argon and his underling vampires. It's just easier and quicker to say, don't you think, Tyr asked, smiling from ear to ear, looking very proud of how witty he had been.

Colin chuckled and shook his head you can be quite the clever one at times. But yes, I do think it is a good name for them.

Tyr nodded in agreement before continuing on. So we should keep an eye on her then? Find out more about her background and make sure she is not in any danger.

Yes, I think that's a good idea," Colin said with a nod of his head.

Good, Tyr agreed, taking a seat in the same chair opposite of Colin's. He leaned back in the chair while he spoke. We can start asking around town for anyone who may know something about this woman or if they've seen anyone suspicious lurking around lately.

Colin looked engrossed in thought as Tyr said this but heard everything he said, but it still wasn't enough. I'm going to continue to watch her, but I still want a few of our men monitoring both of us. Just to make sure none of Lazshul's forces are following us.

That sounds like a waste of manpower to me, brother. You are perfectly capable of watching her on your own unless you have another... Oh - never mind - I get it. You mean you will be too focused on her to be paying attention to your surroundings, Tyr made fun of Colin, which was rewarded with a stern glare.

COLIN BEGAN WATCHING this beautiful, mysterious woman at work, at home, and when she was out with friends, paying very close attention to her moods and habits. Her walk was one of strength and when interacting with others, she displayed complete and total confidence. To look into her stormy blue eyes, even from afar, was dangerous for him. All he could see was the pain and coldness that lay deep within them, as though she had shut the world out. He could see she was trying to keep herself safe, but from who or what? Her eyes always looked so far away as though she was between this world and another. Colin couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking. He felt himself being pulled closer to her. The time had come for him to take the next step in getting closer to her. That following day he would report to work at the hospital. He had finally responded to the repeated invitations he had received over the last few years to work for them.

__________________________________________

THE NEXT MORNING WHEN I came into work I felt the sensation of someone's eyes boring into my back, accompanied by the prickly feeling of little needles poking the back of my neck, making my hair stand on end. I tried to ignore it and continued walking towards my office. The feeling continued to get stronger. I glanced over my shoulder, looking around to find the source and found a man staring at me. His eyes were bright blue with long dark lashes that brushed the tops of his cheeks as he looked down in recognition of being caught. They were unusual in a hypnotic sort of way, and yet they intrigued me. He had a strong straight nose, and a nordic chin. His hair was ebony black, like the heartwood of an ebony tree when it's sanded and polished to a pristine shine. The thickness of his hair gave you the urge to run your fingers through it. He was tall enough that his head was about two or three inches away from hitting the top of the doorway that he was standing in. His suit was obviously tailor made to flatter his muscular stature. Of course, it was only a guess from what I could tell underneath his charcoal colored Boss Hugo suit and shirt accented with a Dolce & Gabbana steel blue tie, along with Salvatore Ferragamo’s black Tramezza Wingtip shoes. He definitely had fashion sense, and a rather expensive one at that. I despised men like this. They always acted entitled to everything in life. It just made me want to say no before they even asked a question, just so I could show them they can’t have everything they want. He smelled of an expensive Creed Wood and spice cologne, accompanied by the underlying smell of sunshine, warm cloves, lemon and apple that clung to him as he drew nearer.

I DIDN’T KNOW HOW LONG I had stared at this man, but it was long enough that I felt the need to shake my head in order to clear away the fog. I continued on to my office while I felt his eyes follow me. The feeling of the heat from his gaze was concentrated in two spots on the back of my head. The halls were full of people changing over from the graveyard shifts and giving their end of shift reports to the oncoming one. I moved down the hall through the cluster of people robotically, having done this so many times before, that it was like going through a memorized labyrinth towards my destination. Seth Lundgren, the Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center Hospital Administrator followed me into my office. Seth wasn’t alone. A man followed behind him. The man who followed in behind him was the same one that I had seen earlier staring at me. His eyes were so intensely inviting. But I also found him to be irritating. There was a definite air of confidence radiating from him, which added to my annoyance. My eyes moved up from his expensive shoes to his face and found him slightly smirking, with one eyebrow raised in what looked like amusement, staring back at me.

REBEKA, THIS IS COLIN McBain, he's going to be your new co-worker.

Crap, I knew this was coming when Jamie left for her residency in New York, but I had just forgotten about it, or at least tried to. It would take too much time to break him in so that we thought the same and read each other's minds, like Jamie and I did. Damn, why did I have to get stuck with this one, I groaned?!

HIS EYES WERE HYPNOTIC. I tried not to look at him. Wait, what’s this . . his scent was the same scent I smelled before. He was here last night. Maybe he was observing his future workplace, and I just didn't see him. That didn’t explain why I had smelled it at my house. But it couldn’t have been him; he didn’t know who I was or where I lived. However, I don’t believe in coincidences. I put on an unwilling smile and held out my hand to shake his, willing myself to be able to read his thoughts through his eyes as though maybe they would reveal something to me, betray something he didn't want known.

Good morning, my name is Rebeka Morgan. It's a pleasure to meet you, Colin. Tell me where are you from?

Colin caught my eyes and held them with his, then smiled with a little curl in the corner of his mouth as he raised one eyebrow. The feeling of irritation crept in as I wondered what he found so amusing. Boston is where I was most recently. I travel all over.

Of course you do, I thought. I detected an accent, only it definitely didn’t sound like it was from Boston. For now, I wouldn’t pursue it any further. I would spend the rest of the day showing him around. Occasionally, I would feel that warm sensation you get from being watched. Each time I looked up, I found him staring at me. Looking down at my watch, I realized the day was finally over.

Well, Colin, it looks like we’re done for the day. I’ll see you in the morning and we can continue your orientation and training.

WHEN HE LOOKED AT ME with his bright blue eyes sparkling like stars in the midnight sky, my heart pounded. Stop that. What are you thinking? He's rich and most likely a huge ass, I thought to myself as I gave him a slight smile, pushing away my inner thoughts to prevent them from showing on my face, and left at a fast pace before the heat rose any further in my cheeks. When I arrived home, I took a nice, long, hot shower. The steam hung in the air, filling the bathroom with mist and fogging up the bathroom mirror. I leaned back and let the water wash over my head, cascade down through my black hair and continue down my back like a waterfall. Taking with it all my stress and rinsing it down the drain. Afterwards, I ate leftover spaghetti for dinner, then curled up on my slate gray couch that I found on clearance at Pier Imports, along with my favorite book. A while later, I realized I’d been staring at the same page for quite some time and couldn’t seem to get this strange person out of my head. What's up with this jerk occupying my mind, I mused to myself? All I could think about was his bright blue eyes