come with me

the night is young

anticipating

with bated breath

Let us drink

of cerulean waves

and gentle breezes

flash pearly whites

swim in pupils

black and blue

imprint our feet

on soft shores.

We will have

need

for nothing

No others

will be necessary.

We'll taste our sweet

explore with our tongues

peak and plateau

devastate

the sands will be

ravaged

by our passion

emissaries

of the deep

will witness

stars

will wink thier approval

And

in the morning

the world

will

bow to our promise

envy our union

be warmed by our fire

till the end

I am Don juan and she wants me. All 6 foot 0 inches.

Her full lips are turned up in a slight grin as her eyes ransack me from head to shoe tip.

She looks away as i approach and when I get to her desk,her eyes are on her screen, fingers are no longer dancing across the keyboard.

“I am here to see Morgan”. I announce.

I am at Barry & White a law firm in downtown Newyork .I am here because i was interested in discussing a deal.

She looks up slowly from her screen head tilted to the side.

“Do you have an appointment?

Black silken hair,olive skin,brown eyes the shade of summer leaves,and peachy breasts perfectly perched. I like what i see and this time i am the one with the grin

“No, but i would be happy if you made room for me say...... 8pm?

Her brown eyes hold mine, she smiles. My heart leaps.

“I think i have Yoga.... he is waiting for you Mr. Devlin........over there.” her delicate hands point towards the door to my right.

“Call me Carlos” I reply as i walk towards Morgan’s door.

Days later we have just finished dinner and the skys are busy with light.We are glued to each other on the sidewalk of my apartment, dancing to music only two of us can hear.

Her hair is loose hanging down to her waist.

She is a vision in red as we swivel and twist to the Salsa.The dance is done, we are out of breath gazing into each other’s eyes.

I don’t hesitate, i don’t wait for an invitation. I lean in claiming her lips...............

Krrrgh....the sound of metal rubbing against metal. My eyes flutter as my hand drops from my manboob.

I inhale and instantly regret it.The stench almost makes me gagg.

Piss and vomit.

I grab my head because it feels like someone tossed in a grenade and closed it up.It takes a while to get used to the throbbing as my eyes open. My throat is dry.

I squint, my vision clears .The metal bars are unmistakable. Dirty vermillion walls and a bucket near my bed-the source of the stench.

It’s only after the fog clears from my brain that it registers.I am in a cell.

Where am i?

I manage to sit up and drag myself to the door. The bar stops me from falling.

“Hello” I call out.

How did i get here?

I try to recollect. I was in an office attending a job interview. I had been offered the job. I.T. support! The man who hired me had offered a brandy. I started to feel dizzy and then everything went blank.

A setup! My heart beats faster.

Footsteps! and moments later a middle aged woman and a man in brown jacket are standing in front of the cell door. He is bald and well built,she is slim and dressed elegantly in red.Both are the same height, both look hispanic.

We all stare at each other through the bars. Thier eyes spit cold indifference. Like they are looking at an animal. My skin crawls.

“This is the new one” the woman asks

“Yes” he replies

She steps closer to the bars

“It took quite some effort to get you here senor Devlin.But I believe you will be worth it”

“D-d-do I know you?”

“He does not remember?

“Maybe the drugs ” the man replies

“Good”

I look from one to the other. Who are these people?

“Look i’ll give you whatever you want, please just let me go” I plead.

“I don’t think so but......... it’s nice of you to offer....” she says calmly as her well manicured hands fish out a cigarette from her purse. The man promptly light it.She puffs.

The staring continues.

“Look i am an American citizen. I have rights.”

“True..... but in Mexico it’s easy to pay the authorities to forget those rights”

“I am in Mexico? I whisper

“Tijuana, it wasn’t easy smuggling you and others across the border” he said

My head begins to pound.“Why? what did i ever do to you?

“Why? that’s the big question isn’t it?In your case it’s simple.I own you,you are now property” Another puff. The smoke ascends.

“Property..what are you?

“Oh.....you were asleep when the bidding was done of course”

“What...“then it hits me.The company that recruited me, they were in on it.There had been rumors of people disappearing when they got recruited by a firm in Houston.Why hadn’t I been more careful.

“No..No...” This can’t be happening.I grab the bars. I don’t want to crumble to the floor.I won’t gve them the satisfaction.

“Why?..what do you want with me? I demand.

“Do you know how much organs cost on the black market these days? You could get as much as $50,000 for a kidney.You have two, then there’s your liver and other parts.Get the picture”

“You can’t do this....I am not cattle”I reach for her through the bars.She is fast.I grab air.

“Enjoy your stay Senor Devlin or should i say your final days,months you can’t tell with these things” she gives me a grin. They walk away.

“Stop..stop, come back” i start screaming ” You can’t do this, please”

Krrrghh!

I am alone again. I rub my right shoulder. I pray the tracking device wasn’t damaged.

“I hope you guys got everything through my eye cam.I think i hit the lode” I whisper

I lay back on the bed.

Now comes the wait.Working for the F.B.I., what dangerous fun.

The skies wailed. Long,forlorn tears that dampened the spirits of everyone in Spencerville. Everyone, except Ms. Turpin’s murderer, who had been hard at work on her. He had arranged her limbs so she would look peaceful,unperturbed, in sharp contrast to how sadistically he had violated her with a yet to be determined weapon. He had then sanitized the scene so evidence wouldn’t link him to the deed.

That was detective Goa’s preliminary conclusion after a few observations. Ms. Turpin was lain in the middle of her living room hands clasped, clothes neatly arranged, her face made up like she was going out for the night. The M.P. estimated she had kicked the bucket at least 24 hours.

More like someone kicked it for her.

Struck with the urge he plundered his pockets as the CSI cameras flashed.

Where was it? He was sure he’d used it this morning.

“Can we bag the body detective? A female CSI asked

“Bag eerr……….”

“It’s in your breast pocket’ she pointed out ’……. as usual”

“Oh , thanks “ he smiled taking his pen out of his suit’s side pocket “ Bonus points for thinking I was going for my cigarettes”

“Yaay lucky me “ She replied turning away.

Goa scribbled in his jotter. It helped gather his thoughts when he was working on cases.

This time he started with two words.

Make-up

She was wearing orange lipstick. It was not a common choice for young women these days let alone a 50year old.

He scribbled two more words

Clean, neat

Too neat. He took another one of several looks at the crime scene. Nothing seemed unusual. No signs of struggle or of forced entry. Heck, not even a strand of hair was out of place on the victim’s head. It was almost as if the body had just appeared in the living room. Someone had gone to great lengths to stage this scene. Several thoughts whirled in his head however, one appealed to him most.

He scribbled. A word.

Psychopath

“ Damn, this sicko better not have done this to someone, somewhere else. It would really mess up my weekend.” But even as the words came out of his mouth his gut told him that was likely the case.

A stone’s throw away the Dinklages watched from their porch as Ms. Turpin was wheeled out on the gurney by paramedics. Herman, her feisty brown colored Persian, meowed after her trying to get her attention. Feeling pity one of the paramedics lifted him into the ambulance. The doors shut and it took off down the street sirens blazing.

Peter Dinklage, an imposing building contractor found his wife Amira’s hand squeezing it.

“I can’t believe it sweetness “he said watching the crime scene investigators coming out of the house

“That she is dead?

….that we don’t have to hear the bat’s singing anymore“. Ms. Turpin seldom did more than let everyone know how much she loved Italian opera, unfortunately she was the only one who thought she was great at it. They had been neighbors for 1 year and had found her as enjoyable as a bout of diarrhea.

“Will you keep your voice down the police are still here” Amira warned a smile dancing at the corner of her lips.

“ Come to think of it poor thing never did get along with most of us neighbors”

“Stuck in the 1960s” Amira chipped in.

“ And now she’ll be singing Pavarotti to the other bats up there”

“Oh crap” Amira said feigning horror. ”None of us better die anytime soon”.

They burst out in laughter.

It was cut short by the sound of a UPS delivery truck parking by their sidewalk.

The driver a balding thirtyish looking man gave them both a stiff smile and exited the vehicle parcel in hand.

“Think the UPS delivery guy just heard us” Amira muttered to her husband. Her voluptuous bust heaved within the confines of her form fitting dress.

“ Please the last time I checked it wasn’t a crime to laugh” he whispered back.

Sharply dressed and bespectacled the UPS man quickly made his way towards them. The parcel he held was about the size of a Gamebox.

“Pardon me maam , sir , have a package for yer.”

“Oh wasn’t ’expecting any…..today that is ” Peter replied reaching for it.

“ Nice to have a little sun after t’ rain.” He continued looking up at the sky ”I hear the missus up in that house died. She live alone?

“Yeah she did. She was murdered” Amira cut in looking at his name tag. Jonas

“ No way “ Jonas breathed “what a shame”

“345 Mayfair lane. Ahhh Wrong address” Peter announced looking after studying the package.

“That’s Ms. Turpin’s house” Amira cut in “ she’s the one who died….and its dated this morning. Odd”

“Coincidence” Peter corrected resisting the urge to shake it. Might be something fragile.

Amira took a glance at Peter. Wouldn’t hurt to see what’s in the parcel “ We could take the parcel for you…..

“….Isn’t returning to the sender policy in this situation? Peter cut in gazing steadily back at her.

I know we didn’t get along but going through a dead woman’s things is just plain low.

Amira rolled her eyes.

“ Ahh pardon me must’a made an error. I’ll return that. Thanks y’all have a nice day” he smiled retrieving the package.

Jonas allowed himself a wry grin as he climbed back into his truck and started the engine.

Plan B had just failed.

Plan A had been to drop the package at Turpin’s house, that would have meant his face being seen by the police. Someone would have marked it. It was much too early in the game for that to happen.

There was however no denying how beautiful it would have been to see the faces of everyone at the crime scene twisted in agony as he triggered the device from afar.

Death by biological agent it seems would have to wait.

He smiled and waved at Peter and Amira as he pulled away from the sidewalk.

Count yourselves lucky you wretches. Ms. Turpin didn’t get that kind of luck

Your words embrace me

setting fire to my cold dark hearth

frothy tasty chickeny goodness

flowing through my soul

rejuvenating tired weary bones

tenderly chipping at rock hard formations

sired by pain and disappointment

I feel blessed being with you.

enveloped in your fragrance

like persistent drops of rain

you wash away my fears till there is nothing left

till nothing else matters

Is it a wonder I am drawn to your heat

your glass shaped hips

I am hypnotized

entrapped in your web

You lean in drawing me close

grinning delectable lips nibbling at my lobes

You whisper “You are mine”

I agree

I am the raft upon which words sail

The mountainside down which thoughts cascade

I am neither genius nor fool

Lazy nor hardworking

Divine nor mortal

Loved nor despised

Weak yet strong

Obscured yet plain

Incomprehensible yet understood

My only talent a listening ear

My only fault that I care

Join me if you dare

Be

A bleeding heart laid bare

How did I get here?

Times ago there was laughter and merriment

Shining whites and sparkling orbs

The clink and clank of glass ornaments

Wine flowing from hole to hole

The joust and sparring of wit

Here a victory there a slaughter

Triumphant I am unbeatable

Invincible

There is darkness in the tunnel

Everything closes around me

I grasp at straws

Reach out for walls that grab me in return

I search for stars I cannot see

A sun that no longer exists

I am put out

There is darkness in the tunnel

Can you hold my hand and let go

Can you seek and not find me

Can you talk yet not speak

Can you see and be blind

Can you be here and absent

Can you inquire and retire

I groan

I am in pain

There is darkness in the tunnel

The drop of a whisper

“You are not without worth’’

A drop becomes a trickle

A trickle a stream

A stream a river

A river a sea

There is light in the tunnel

To hope is to live

To live is to hope

I strangle the voices

I light my candle

I am no more in the tunnel

To those who question, to those who depress

Folded

into you

I taste your nectar

You smell right feel so safe

I am comforted

sane

Stay …forever I plead

You get up anyway

nothing is forever you reply

I grab you

Not letting go

You wrench free

You leave me…

Bleeding out

“Eeeeeepp” Iris’s screams pierced the forest quiet as the contractions hit.

Insects stopped chirping, rodents paused for the briefest of moments as they scurried for food. Startled birds arched their heads in the half eaten moonlight.

She inhaled deep mouthfuls of forest air and exhaled, her strong hands gripping the earth, a blue blanket spread underneath her. The contractions were now only a few minutes apart.

“Deep breaths “she chorused with Penelope, midwife of their tribe who was knelt beside her on the grass.

Above them the fruit laden Myrtle tree gazed down.

Unimpressed.

Just take a bite of fruit and be done it seemed to say as its leaves rocked gently in the night.

On either side of the tree were neat rows of palms .A refreshing orange like aroma wound it’s way upwards from the shrine at the base of the tree. It enveloped the small group of the gathered behind them who had come to witness the birth of the child they had all been anticipating. Penelope wiped Iris’s forehead with a damp towel whispering in an ancient dialect that only a handful of the living still knew.

On the grass sat a bowl of warm water.

No one could tell how long ago it was that women of the Neuri tribe started worshipping Aphrodite. At some point it became practice to give birth with symbols of her displayed during brith. Myrtle was one of the chief preferences and the myrtle tree was believed to have been fancied by the goddess herself. Which was why apart from helping with birthing it seemed incapable of dying like all normal, good trees. The forest where they were all currently standing had been in the possession of the tribe for centuries, 250 acres of land passed down along the lineage of neuri the very first werewolf. Now it was held in trust and administered by the heads of the tribes’ four houses who were all present.

This wasn’t iris’s first time of grabbing earth under the myrtle tree nor was it the first birth that her husband Alcibadus would witness with mixed feelings and a parched throat.

“Deep breaths” he mouthed absentmindedly.

“deeeeep bree breeeeathhhh” iris shrieked as she grabbed his fingers squeezing the blood from them.

“keeeep ” He grimaced his attention fully focused on her “Thhhhat’s it oooooow”

“ho ho hooo don’t…you ….dare…..start” she breathed. Like all the others they were dressed in ceremonial black gowns beautifully embroidered at the neck.

“Okay my love” he responded quickly

Underneath the pain and joyful anticipation, self loathing and fear gnawed at his insides. Self loathing, at what he had become and fear that should this birth end up being the same as the others he would be forced to ……. Sigh he needed whiskey. His favorite brand of therapy. There was no fear or self loathing in the company of jonnie walker.

There was only escape.

For many years he had been unavailable more a companion to the bottle than to her. She deserved a better husband a werewolf warrior and a child, werewolf or not. He wasn’t the right kind of husband but.….no he wouldn’t think like that. Guilt would only create distance would only stop him from being here. He would be here now! Not in body alone but also in spirit, for her sake. He would be the man she deserved. But by the gods it was hard.

Iris intuitively sensing what was going through his mind eased up her grip on his reddened fingers.

“Wee will birth…..hooo hooo” she tried to assure him.

He gritted his teeth at her nodding.

The seer had seen the signs “You will birth the one” she had told them.

That was two births ago.

He fervently hoped that this one was different he was tired of merely existing, living at the mercy of a seer’s signs or the whims of the tribe.

He was tired of being powerless.

He would become master of his own fate one way or another. He ran his hand over his right pocket to see if it was still there.

It was.

A vial , containing nightshade. A mixture so potent and fast acting that it could knock out anyone who took a whiff in seconds. Another property of it was that it was capable of making anyone who inhaled it more susceptible to mental control especially the mental control of one with a strong will. It had served well to ensure that a mother whose child did not have the genetic disposition of their werewolf tribe did not resist or remember when her baby was taken away never to be held again.

He took a glance at the house leaders a few feet away from him and caught George the leader of the tribe and head of the Grecian house staring at him through cold grey eyes.

The alpha.

To people outside the tribe he was called George but to tribe members he was known as Aetius the demon. Partly because he had a face that looked like the milkman had backed into it-pale skin, flat head atop bushy eyebrows, cleft nose and thick lips. Also because he was the coldest and most ruthless there was. Boris the tough had the bright idea of challenging his methods. Why should newborns without the gift be taken away? At least they will outlive us, we are dying he reasoned. Following in the line of that reasoning he challenged his authority. Boris the tough lost disappearing soon after and then he reappeared dead of course, this time minus the parts that Aetius liked. No one did any challenging after that. Alcibadus felt anger well up inside him.

How much longer will you debase us you monster? How much more of our pride and humanity will we lose?

“Ahhh “ Iris screamed squeezing his fingers again this time harder.

“Deeeep deeeeeep ” he chorused moved close to tears as he tried to extricate his fingers from her grip.

Aetius allowed himself a grin. Idiots! None of them knew what it was like to have the weight of a dying tribe on one’s shoulders. To be like a drowning man who was slowly being ripped apart by piranha. Werewolves who tried so hard to hold on to their humanity. Pathetic. The very future of the tribe was at stake yet there were many amongst them who thought his methods for repopulating extreme. Why could they not see that allowing children without the blessed gift to be born would doom the tribe even further. It would cause a dilution of genes. There were 400 of them across the world years ago now there were barely 40 including the heads of the houses. Yes he knew it was the gods who blessed them with this trait but they all had a responsibility to preserve that gift. If this girl was gift blessed she would represent a new beginning for the tribe. That’s what the seer said.As a werewolf she was not as weak as normal women, she could give birth 20 years straight. She could help jumpstart the tribe. For Alcibadus to entertain thoughts of her having the freewill to choose if she wanted to do otherwise was wishful thinking. He would not allow it, not while he remained Alpha.

“Push” Penelope urged

Iris closed her eyes screaming as she pushed

“I can see its head” Penelope said. “Praise the goddess it is blessed. ”Push, iris just a little more “

“What? Aetius started. The other house heads Salome and antichus moved closer. Did they hear right?

Iris mustered what was left of her strength and pushed.

“Yes” the midwife exclaimed excitedly as the baby came out. She proceeded to wrap her in a blanket wiped off the amniotic fluid and handed her to Alcibadus while she continued attending to iris.

“Blessed she be” Alcibadus said his eyes beaming with pride as he held his daughter in his arms. His eyes became misty with tears.

He ran a smarting finger down her long nose and the wet fur on her jaw. When babies with the werewolf gift were newly born they were never in human form. That was something they learned to do as they grew older.

“Blessed she be” the others chorused smiling. Except for Aetius.

He had other ideas.

“Bring her closer Alcibadus“ he ordered. His eyes had a frightening look about them.

Alcibadus gave him a steely look of defiance for one moment, then turned to look at Iris.

“Or do you plan to throw the vial of nightshade in your pocket at me” he grinned

Alcibadus turned in surprise fear filled his eyes. How did he know?

“How did I know? What amuses me more is that you thought you could pull it off. My will is the strongest of everyone in the tribe. Not even the house leaders come close and you thought a weakling like you could deceive me?

“No’ alcibadus said shaking his head. He could hear Aetius’s thoughts inside his head. Hand her over. Hand her over he kept whispering. No. He gritted his teeth, trying to resist. Tried to…the words became louder more insistent. More forceful. They began to fill his head chasing out every other thought. Weakening his resolve. Dominating. He began to lose awareness of his environment. Sensations in his arms faded. Could no longer feel he was carrying a baby. He knew that soon the only thing that would exist in his reality would be Aetius voice. Nothing else would matter. He had to fight .Would keep on.

For family.

Fight……

Aetius’ voice stopped

He opened his eyes and saw phoebe looking at him

“Are you okay? She asked. Phoebe the seer. She was pleasant to look at if one could get past the bony protusion on her forehead. Behind her Antichitus had a handkerchief clasped over Aetius’s mouth while Salome stood by him concentrating on dominating him.

Antichitus! How? It all made sense now.

“You were all in on it. You gave me the vial , you figured he would know. I was the distraction ”

“We have merely bought you time. He will remember eventually, he will come after you. He will find you. Be prepared.”

Penelope had helped iris to her feet and brought her to him.

“we ’ve made arrangements for you. The tribe has survived for thousands of years. It will continue to do so. The gods go with you” Phoebe said

“Thank you” Aetius replied still in shock knowing just how costly the gift they had been given was. He did not intend to waste it. He had just been gifted a new start.

A new beginning.