Mad Woman Rambles

“Wait! How do you know him?!” We exclaimed in unison.  

“You first,” Krystal demanded crossing her arms again. I opened my mouth to respond but then shut it. I didn’t think I should divulge my sordid past to her but her glare cut through any resistance. There was hurt and a measure of insecurity in the heat of her stare. I knew that look all too well.  

“Frack,” I swore under my breath. “He and I have a long, sordid history,” I explained waving her hand dismissively.  

“Go on. I have time. I am not going anywhere. You don’t get out of this that easily,” Krystal demanded, stalking closer to the image of original self. “This is my body, and he will….” 

“He will what?” I retorted uncrossing her arms and placing her hands on her hips.  

“Nothing,” Krystal halted her approach and looked away from me. I returned the glare she had given me earlier.  

“He and I have a sordid history as well,” Krystal sighed.  

“Hey, Earth to dummy,” Misty snapped her fingers in front of Krystal’s face. We blinked back into the present.  

“What?” I complained focusing on the irritated face in front of me.  

“Your client is waiting, and he creeps me out. You need to stop acting like a ditz and get rid of him. I think he is looking for something,” Misty said rubbing her arms looking to the back room. The curtain with the giant peacock on it shifted and shimmered momentarily.  

“Yeah, he does, doesn’t he?” I replied. “I’ll take care of him.” I made my way from behind the counter towards the back room. Before I got back there, I grabbed a huge colorful crystal before stopping in front of the curtain. I will definitely take care of him. Taking a deep breath, I pulled back the curtain and stopped short of entering the small space. Jona lounged on the plain chair. No, not lounged. He draped himself around the chair like a big jungle cat. All grace and low-key power.  

My breath caught in my throat. He was beautiful. All the high fae were. Being one of the high-crowned princes made him even more irresistible. Our eyes locked once again, and the corner of his mouth quirked up again causing things down low to tighten in very familiar ways. Bastard!  

“You are a beautiful creature,” Jona whispered in my ear. Somehow, I had been pulled into the room, and he stood behind me. Away from prying eyes, the curtain was drawn and the crystal discarded on the floor, completely forgotten. Something so familiar about him and not because of my sordid history with him. It appears Krystal’s history with him may have been just as scandalous. His tall stature overshadowing Krystal’s smaller frame. However, he managed to mold himself around her body. His arm a warm and heavy presence around her core, holding her tight. His sweet breath tickling her neck. “I have missed you. It has been far too long, Minerva,” he whispered. 

“Who is that?” I laughed as I tried to pry Jona’s hands from Krystal’s body. His grip tightened and we were pressed together tighter. I could feel every hard-won muscle in his body as it burned along the softness of this body.  

“Don’t play coy with me, Minerva,” he hissed smelling my hair. “I would know your essence anywhere.”  

I laughed and began to struggle again. “I don’t know who that person is. My name is Krystal, and you are in my shop. State your business and be on your way,” I stated as he loosened his arms, and I slipped out of them. I tried to put as much space between us as possible by moving to the other side of the tiny room. Breathing distance so I could think.  

“He knows it isn’t me. You might as well confess so we can end this,” Krystal said, sighing and crossing her arms yet again.  

“Absolutely not, Krystal! He is the reason we are in this situation in the first place. His jealousy made me into a vampire in the first place. I will not let him know where I am. I spent the better part of a millennium keeping my distance from him,” I finished, pacing in Krystal’s mind.  

“I don’t know what to tell you. He knows you are here and since you won’t let me take back over, I can’t help us,” Krystal replied trying to look bored.  

“Then that is what we will do!” I announced rounding on Krystal’s mental image.  

“What?” she asked when I reached out and grabbed her by the arms.  

“Minerva, I don’t have all day. Actually, I do but I don’t want to waste it here. Come out, so we can talk,” Jona called.  

“You can take over,” I said flinging Krystal’s conscience to the fore front.  

“Holy Hells!” Krystal yelped as she blinked trying to refocus to her own eyes. Brilliant green eyes stared back at her, a little wider than before.   

“Krystal?” Jona questioned, testing the air before doubling over with laughter. Krystal scrubbed her face and ran her fingers through her blonde hair.  

“What’s so funny?” she asked annoyed at the whole situation.  

“Where do I begin?” he said returning to his seat as before. “First, my dear cousin comes and visits you and drama ensues. Secondly, her visit to you gets you in trouble with Korbin and the Peach Kiss. Something you didn’t need. Third, when your aunt comes to rescue you, you find yourself the pack mule for a djinn. It’s rather amusing. I had to come see for myself. Though the whole pack mule thing I didn’t know about until just now. How interesting. You were never a dull person; I will give you that.”  

Krystal stood there, arms crossed, maw agape. “How could you possibly know any of that?”  

“Why do you think I am here, my dear?” he replied, flipping his braid over his shoulder. “You have the relic, and we need it. Seeing who your hitchhiker is simply ices the cake. She and I have some catching up to do. Would you like to get rid of her?” 

“Yes, please,” Krystal replied without thinking.  

“Frack!” I shout as Jona stands from his chair and lays his hand on Krystal’s forehead. Not again, I think before darkness envelops me for the thousandth time.