Chapter
1
On a late and
un-spring like bitterly cold evening in April, Keira woke from yet another
nightmare. Drenched in sweat, her body
still trembled from the dream that remained deep within. Blinking her eyes several times to adjust to
the bright light, she found herself in yet another strange place.
Her eyes traveled her surroundings. Once again she had laid down for a nap and
then woken up in a place that didn't belong to her. Panicking she jumped from the bed and ran for
the door carefully turning the knob to peek out to the hallway. After making sure the coast was clear she ran
down the hall to the nearest door with the exit sign above it. A fire escape. Stepping outside she quickly but cautiously
made her way down the rickety steps.
Finally finding herself safely on the
ground, she walked with no destination in mind. Now realizing she wore nothing more than a
hoody a pair of jeans and her well-worn sneakers, she was freezing. She placed her hands into her jean pockets in
an attempt to warm her hands.
Her mind raced a mile a minute as she went
over the nightmare she had just had.
Over the past few years she had begun to live the nightmares almost
right after she had dreamed them. This
was a nightmare she was not looking forward to and hoping it stayed a nightmare
forever. Shivering she wasn’t sure if
the chill racing through her body was from the weather or from the dream.
She passed an alley and with the sudden de
ja vu feeling hitting her she stopped.
She looked down the alley to the busy street at the other end. Nothing looked out of sorts. Not like in her dream.
The wind began to pick up as she stepped
down the darken path in front of her.
She stopped. Hesitating she took
a deep breath and then turned to look over her shoulder. There just like in her nightmare was the
thing that was after her. Black smoke
with no shape was beginning to close in on her.
Swirling faster and faster as it came closer to her. She stood there almost frozen in place
willing her legs to move. The smell of
death and decay abruptly took over all of Keira’s senses and the feeling she
would vomit was close.
Fighting the urge to throw up, she heard a
loud drumming that sounded very close.
Then she took note that the drumming was in perfect rhythm with the
thumping felt in her chest. It wasn’t
drums at all, but her heart beating fast and hard enough for her to hear.
Suddenly the eerie feeling in the still
alley was gone and being replaced with violent winds tossing debris and dirt into
the air that began to cloud her vision.
She began to run frantically down the alley, making out the outline of a
body lying beside a dumpster. As she
neared she saw that the body was a man and he appeared to be watching the scene
unfold in front of him causing her to feel even more uneasy because his eyes
seemed familiar to her.
For a moment she was lost in the sad,
lost, deep grey eyes of this stranger that seemed to be tugging at her inner
will to stop and question where she had seen him before or if she knew him from
somewhere. But the survival instinct sent
a surge of adrenaline to keep running for her life.
The screeching sound coming from the inside
of black entity that was now flying through the air chasing her down the alley was
her warning that if caught it would eat the life from her. Swallowing the scream that was threatening to
burst out of her she seen the end of the alley that seemed to be moving further
away from her.
Squashing the feeling that she would never
make it to the end she seemed to get a surge of energy from deep inside her and
her feet began to move even more quickly.
Almost like they were not even touching the ground.
Suddenly another form took shape at the
end of the alley glowing with a bright, calm aura surrounding it. The debris and dirt swirling in the air blocked
a clear view of the object that was now sprinting towards her. A ferocious growl filled the air causing
goose bumps to erupt across her body. It
leapt through the air past her growling even louder and she turned watching
this object charge at the black smoke that had been chasing her.
The smoke quickly flew up into the air and
over the building out of sight and the alley returned to as before. Calm, no wind, clear view, but remaining eerie. She continued to stare up at the building
tops, waiting for the black entity to return when a touch to her hand caught
her attention.
The form that has just saved her life was
now clear to her. She was startled at
the form at first. But the coolness of a pit bull’s nose nuzzled her hand as if
saying it was okay now making her feel more at ease. A white muscular shape with patches of black
and brindle across the body with gentle blue eyes and a wagging tale gave her
hope he was not a threat to her.
“Chance.”
Called a deep voice from the end of the alley. There stood a tall male figure with wavy
shoulder length light brown hair, welcoming shimmering bright blue eyes, a
stubble showing evidence he had not shaven in a day or two. Wearing a brown trench coat left open showing
evidence of a muscular form. His long
legs covered by tight levis ending in pair of brown cowboy boots matching his
trench.
Slowly she felt a pull, tugging her
towards him. She wanted to be cautious
and yet her movement was against her will.
The only comfort she had was that the dog that the stranger had called
Chance was by her side matching her step for step. Gazing up at her as if again silently saying
you are safe with me.
She looked back down the alley at the
stranger and as she locked eyes with him her body began to calm itself. Her breathing slowed, her heart rate became
normal, but her mind remained suspicious.
“Please God, if this is a dream,
be a good one.” She whispered as she
hadn’t the strength to fight anymore today.
As her approach to the stranger grew
nearer she was thankful that at least she now had an ally in her new friend,
Chance, taking each step with her. The
stranger however could be anyone or anything for that matter. In her other nightmares the black form that
had just chased her had taken other forms before. However, she had the feeling that she could
trust this man because Chance was leading her to him and something told her Chance
wouldn’t lead her into harm’s way.
She stopped just a foot in front of him. Without saying a word, he held out his hand
and she could feel the magnetic pull as her hand touched his. She breathed in the feeling of warmth that
enveloped her. Spreading through her
veins as if it simply mixed with her blood being pushed through her veins with
every beat of her heart.
“My name is Connor. For now, you will have to trust me and come
with me.” His voice deep, full of
mystery, yet soothing.
“Do
I have a choice?” She already knew the
answer to the question she asked.
“No.”
Was the only word he spoke as he turned leading them out into the open
street. Chance just as before remained
at her side. She stared at Connors hand
wrapping hers and there were so many questions she needed answers to. She opened her mouth to ask the first one but
he stopped turning around and spoke quietly to her.
“Not here.
In private.” Then he began to
leading her again. Guiding her swiftly
through the crowd of people that just a few minutes ago weren’t anywhere in
view. She was surprised when they walked
into a local coffee shop. He waited for
her to take a seat and then sat opposite her in the booth. It was only then Keira noticed Chance was not
at her side. She looked around anxiously
trying to find him. She looked back at
Connor, and reading her mind, he gestured with his finger to the window and
there he was. Chance. Sitting outside the window by the booth
waiting for them to come back.
She felt herself relax again just knowing
he was close. Standing guard over her. When the waitress came up and asked for their
order she didn’t have a chance to order.
Connor simply ordered for them both.
Coffee with cream and sugar for her and black for him. When the waitress left, Connor was the first
to speak.
“I know you have a lot of question Keira
but they have to wait for now. After you
regain your bearing I need to get you somewhere safe.”
Her brows tightened. “How do you know me, my name?”
“I, well we, Chance and I are your
protectors. We have known you your
entire life. It is only now that you
need protection.”
“Protection from what?” She felt her heart begin to race again. Is he
crazy? Her mind argued with her, if
he’s crazy then what did that make her? Constantly
seeing things that couldn’t possibly be real. Deciding to hear his explanation, she sat
still waiting for him to answer her.
“Not here.” With the words just leaving his mouth the
waitress was back.
They finished their coffee in
silence. She watched him leave a twenty
on the table and then just as before he held his hand out to her. She took hold again feeling his heat enter
her as he led her from the coffee shop.
Chance rejoined her side immediately rubbing against her leg.
Connor kept his fingers wrapped with hers
until they reached his car. She was
shocked. It was an older model black
car. Decked out to the T. Chrome
wheels and door handles shined bright as the sun reflected off of them. Black tinted windows blocking out a view to
the inside.
Connor opened the car door waiting for her
to get in. She felt hesitant until
Chance made his way into the back seat sitting, staring at her as if again
telling her she was safe. She had no
choice but to get in the car and go with them.
After all she wanted answers and she hadn’t felt safe in all the years
of her adult life. Not the way she felt
next to Chance.
When Connor made his way around and got
in, she watched as he turned the key and the roar of the engine came to life.
“Where are we going?” Keira asked.
“To your place to pack you a bag. We can’t stay there, it’s not a safe place.”
“How do you know where I live?” The words stuttered out of her mouth in a
whisper.
“The same as you. I am able to see what you see through
Chance. Chance is linked with you and I
am linked with him.”
“What do you mean linked? How is that even possible?”
“Have you ever wondered why you go to
sleep in one place and wake up in a totally different place? Or why your dreams seem to come true almost
the moment your eyes open?”
“How do you know about that? Have you been watching me?”
“Easy, through Chance. Everything you do Chance can see and
feel. Everything he sees and feels, I
see and feel. When you are hurt, sad,
scared, or in danger, Chance knows and all I need to do is touch him and I see
and feel what he does.”
“How do you know when he knows something?”
“He comes to me.”
Glancing at the dog, she swallowed the
lump in her throat. If she hadn’t
already experienced so much, she would of felt the need to call for the guys in
the little white jackets. Instead she turned and watched out the window as the
scenery went by.
They pulled up to the apartment building
she had ran from. Quickly he opened her
door and they made their way to the apartment.
He didn’t ask any questions when he grabbed a bag that had been sitting
in a chair next to the bed. He went to
the dresser and began shoving her belongings into the bag. Watching him rush around gave her the sense of
urgency that was behind getting them to somewhere safe. But then she wondered what was she really
running from to begin with and where was she running too? How could she trust
someone she just met? He did seem to
make her feel safer than she had in a long time. Things surely couldn’t get any
worse.
She walked over to the bedside table and
grabbed her IPOD sitting on the bedside table and when she turned back he was
by the door waiting for her. She looked
around at the apartment one last time and then followed him out the door.
Back inside the car she again took note of
the urgency that was involved when she noticed him speeding through traffic
leaving town. Looking in the rearview
mirror every few minutes to make sure they were not being followed. Again chills swept through her as she watched
him handle the car like he was part of it.
He swept her a quick glance and she
quickly looked away wondering what was happening to her. Her body began to stir. Heat even.
She began to feel as if she were on fire. She looked down at her breast and then back
out the window as she crossed her arms over her chest. Why would just a look from him cause her
nipples to harden? Feeling the heat rise
to her cheeks she tried to concentrate on watching the trees fly by. Always seemed like she was watching her life
pass her by.
“Where are you taking me?” She needed to know something. After all she was in a car with a complete
stranger and the only comfort she had was a sense of safety that almost
radiated from Chance to her. His ears
perked as he stared out the window almost as if he were watching out for signs
of danger.
“Some place safe. I can’t answer all your questions right now
and I know you must have them. I need to
concentrate on getting us out of here and keeping a connection with
Chance.” Those were the only words he
spoke to her before reaching over and gripping her hand. Immediately she felt the tension leave her
body as if he were sucking it from her.
Suddenly the feeling of exhaustion
overwhelmed her senses and the need to sleep was the only thing she now thought
of. She leaned her head back against the
seat, closing her eyes in hopes of catching a nap while they made their way to
wherever it was he was taking her.
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