Mad Woman Rambles

Thank you for your patience in receiving my latest sacrifice to the literary gods. I have had some family and health-related items pop up recently that have taken me away from pen and paper. I hope this entry will be a fun interlude until next week. 🙂

All the junk food and Hearts Over My Eyes I can eat and watch. I must have died of inhaling dirt, and now I am being rewarded. If Korbin is going to hold me prisoner, this is the way to do it. Ahhhh, this is the life.

‘I loved you before I met you. You are a part of my soul, in this lifetime and all those come.’

“OMG! They kissed. They finally kissed,” Carmen sighed into the pillow she was squeezing for dear life.

“I was hoping she would have gotten to do a little,” Cecelia said, as a blush colored her cheeks. Carmen and I looked at her, shocked by her admission.

“Cece!” I exclaimed, fighting back my laughter. She sat up straighter, turning up her broad nose in mock insult.

“I may look young, but mother has had more lovers than you have years on this Earth,” she replied smugly. The air filled with our laughter as she broke character and joined us.

“While I do enjoy a good laugh, you all have something to be doing,” Marcus uttered from the door to the room.

“Oh, poo, Marcu,s you always know how to ruin a girl’s fun,” Carmen complained, picking up her tablet and scrolling through it.

“Carmen, you were supposed to bring Krystal to Korbin’s office 30 minutes ago,” Marcus replied, lifting one eyebrow. Carmen had the good sense to look chagrined and raised the tablet to cover her face as she sank down into the couch.

“We had to finish watching our show before … you know,” she said, jerking her head in my direction.

“You know what?” I asked, perplexed, looking at her, then turning to him. “I feel like there is something I should know,” I looked at Marcus. “What is Korbin up to?” I directed my question to Carmen.

“Who knows? He is a quiet, private man,” she gulped, gripping her tablet and using it as a shield. I narrowed my eyes at her.

“Oh really,” I said before I lunged for her arm. My fingertips are just able to brush her arm. Stupid vampire speed! However, it was enough to get just a glimpse.

“Krystal!” Carmen shouted from behind Marcus. “You swore you would never use your power on me,” she squeaked, clearly hurt by my action, but it didn’t keep my anger from surfacing.

“That rat bastard! Marcus, you knew, didn’t you?!” I shouted, jumping up on the couch cushions, at the two vampires standing by my door.

“That is my cue to leave,” Cecelia mutters as she gathers up our forgotten snacks and drinks. “I like my drama on T.V. not in real life.” The lanky woman slips out, pulling Carmen with her as Marcus crosses his arms over his broad chest.

“What do you think you know, Krystal?” Marcus sighs, steeling me with his gaze.

“Korbin is keeping me as a political pawn to get something from S.N.O.B.,” I huffed at him.

“You know Korbin’s reasons are his own. You also know he would never do anything to hurt you or put you in danger,” Marcus reassured me.

“So, what I saw in Carmen’s mind wasn’t true?” I questioned as I flopped back down on the couch, crossing my arms and pouting as the anger drained from my body. 

“Krystal, come,” Marcus replied, motioning me with his hand to come to him.

“You know your vampire powers don’t work on me,” I answered as I stood from the couch. His dimple in his right cheek appeared as he grinned.

“Krystal, you would be the death of me if I wasn’t already dead,” he sighed, tilting his head back. “Krystal, would you please come with me?” I relented, moving towards the door.

“Better,” I mumbled as I approached him. “I just don’t want to get hurt by him again. And it is just like him to use me to his advantage.” I could feel my bottom lip start to tremble. I cleared my throat and quickly wiped away a stray tear. Marcus’s face softened as I lowered my arms.

“I know, cricket,” Marcus replied, rubbing his hand up and down my arm. “He means well, and I will try to make sure he doesn’t get too ambitious.” Marcus could be so reassuring that I almost believed him when he said he could control Korbin. No one has been able to. I don’t think anyone has tried.

I followed him down the hall towards the grand staircase and passed it. I knew where we were headed, and my heart started beating rapidly. A knot formed in the pit of my stomach. I hated how my body reacted to being near Korbin. I haven’t even laid eyes on him, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe.

“Calm, cricket, calm,” Marcus reminded me, and I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I could do this. I could face… my ex. Marcus opened the door and ushered me in.

“Krystal, how good it is to see you,” his angelic voice called to me as soon as I entered the room. It rolled over my skin, caressing me, warming me. While I was immune to vampire powers, Korbin’s gift always got under my defenses. His power laid in emotional, not mental persuasion. His gift always found its target.

The shiver that rippled over me helped to quell the effect his voice was having on me. I opened my eyes, not realizing I had closed them. Rubbing my hands up and down my arms, I cleared my throat and fixed my face.

“Korbin,” I squeaked, then cleared my throat. “Korbin,” his name spilling past my lips, stronger than the last time. “It’s good to see you, too.” I took in his blonde hair that touched his ears, and he brushed it back behind his ear, a look of irritation on his face because it had gotten too long. He liked it cut short and neat. I wonder what happened to his barber, Tisha. My eyes wandered to his velvety soft, full lips that I knew for a fact were indeed tender.

My mouth was suddenly dry, and I bit my lip as I caught his gaze. His ice-blue eyes were soothing in the most unsettling way. They always mesmerized me; that is why it took me a very long minute to realize those beautiful lips had been moving. They stopped as one side of his mouth quirked up in the beginning of a smile.

“Cricket,” he murmured with his French accent. He only brought it out when he wanted to tease me.

“Wha-?” I responded.

“I said, Krystal, have a seat. Your legal representation is here to discuss your terms of release,” Korbin smirked as I blinked back into the present. Marcus covered his chuckle with a cough.

“Oh,” I said, turning to the young woman who happened to be my legal counsel.

“It’s about time! Krystal, I have been trying to get in touch with you, but it seems your jailer here wouldn’t allow for this meeting without some ridiculous demands,” Audrey said, coming over to me and touching my arm, guiding me down into the purple chair next to hers. Warmth flowed over me, enveloping me. Her magic both comforting and soothing as it checked me over for injuries. Whatever she found, she seemed satisfied by it.

“What demands?” Her words caught up with me.

“You are going to give us the information my hapless cousin gave you, or you get to be the guest of the Fae High Court,” Nathan White, high chancellor to the Fae High Court, said as he entered the room.

My eyes went wide as the reality of my situation just went from bad to Hells. “You dirty motherfu–,” I shouted at Korbin as I tried to launch myself at his pretty boy face.

“My cricket has claws, hmmm,” Korbin purred as he caught me pulling me onto his lap. “If you are a good girl, I can get us both out of this without either one of us pissing the Fae off, hmmm.” He whispered in my ear, knocking the fight out of me.

‘This frackin’ sucks. I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. Problem is I don’t know which one Korbin is, and being this close to him, I didn’t care.’