“Damien, I’m so sorry, but can I call you right back? God, can I even say that to you?” I mused aloud.
“Sure. And yes, of course you can say that to me,” he laughed.
“It’s just that I am about to walk into Madame Yelena’s shop to pick something up…” I started to say. Just then, Yelena opened the door and ushered me in.
“That is Damien Pierce on the phone, yes?” she said.
“Uh, yes it is,” I told her. “Why?”
“Tell him to be careful. I sense something is wrong,” she warned.
“Damien? Are you still there?” I asked.
“Yeah, I’m here. I heard what she said. What does she mean?” he asked.
“I’m not sure,” I replied, stepping into the shop and closing the door behind me. “Madame Yelena, can you be more specific? What should Damien do?”
“Tell him to be wary of the people around him. There are snakes among him,” she said, and suddenly she gasped and clutched at her chest.
“Oh my God! Are you okay? Damien, let me call you right back. She looks like she’s having a heart attack,” I exclaimed, as I quickly shoved the phone in my pocket. I tried to help Madame Yelena into a chair. Her head flopped back and all I could see were the whites of her eyes. I swear she looked 50 years older than the fresh-faced woman I visited before. My eye was drawn once again to the unique pendant hanging around her neck. Was it a figment of my imagination, or was a faint glow emitting from the necklace? I was struck by a sudden urge to reach out and touch it, but she abruptly clamped her hand around my wrist and froze, looking right at me. Immediately, the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end, and a chill crawled up my spine. As quickly as her gaze fixated on me, she dropped her head and closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed to normal, she licked her lips, and looked back up to study my face. When she spoke, she only warned me:
“Beware of a treacherous woman that will cross your path soon. You know what you have to do and you cannot allow someone else to stake a claim on what is rightfully ours.
“What woman?” I choked out. “What are you talking about?” I asked, shaking slightly. I was freaked out, but she did not seem as though she was up for offering any more information tonight.
“I am sorry, dear,” she whispered. “I don’t mean to frighten you. I had a vision that foretold of difficulty in your future, but you cannot let it lead you astray. Take great care while you are with Damien this weekend. You must fulfill your destiny.
“Okay, but who is this woman you are talking about? Is it his ex-girlfriend, Ava Richardson?” I asked, suddenly wondering if their relationship wasn’t as over as Damien claimed it to be.
“I cannot say with certainty. Just be careful. I am sensing a negative presence around this person, and I know that if you ever meet, you will sense it as well,” she explained. She carefully rose out of her chair as if she were decades older than the spritely young woman I first met. She rushed over toward the back of the shop and returned carrying a small metal tin which she pushed into my hands.
“This is the tea. It will help you relax. Drink it tonight,” she said, then practically shooed me out the door.
I was totally freaked out the whole drive home, and the goosebumps on my arms never faded away. If there was something that a psychic like Madame Yelena feared, did I even stand a chance?
CHAPTER 18
DAMIEN
I paced back and forth in my study, waiting for Madelyn to call back. What could that woman have meant when she said I should be careful? The car accident had been bad enough, but was there something else in my future that I should watch out for? I looked at the clock and saw that twenty minutes had passed since our phone call had ended. Why wasn’t she calling back? I hoped the psychic was okay, but the wait was killing me.
Finally, the phone buzzed.
“Madelyn! Is everything alright?” I immediately asked upon answering.
“I’m so sorry, Damien. Yes, everything is fine. I just wanted to drive home first before calling you back. Madame Yelena is fine. She was having some sort of premonition, I think. She told me I have to be careful of a woman that will cross my path soon. Are you sure you are no longer with Ava Richardson? Wait, that didn’t sound right. I mean, it’s okay if you are, I have no claim on you whatsoever. I don’t mean to imply we’re dating or anything. Ugh!”
“No, Ava and I are no longer seeing each other. But, I am impressed that she knew about her. See, since Ava and I broke it off, she has been calling and messaging me every day, trying to get back together. I finally agreed to see her and we ended up meeting for lunch. She was remarkably civil and I think she finally got the closure she needed. Ava is conceited and superficial, but I think she has come to understand why we don’t belong together,” I explained.
“I see,” Madelyn replied carefully. “Damien, I hope I didn’t ruin anything between the two of you. I mean, neither of us asked for this strange connection between us, but I am sorry if it has affected your relationship.”
“You don’t need to apologize. I know we didn’t ask for this to happen to us, but it did. And frankly, I’m glad it did. I can’t remember feeling as alive or as excited as I have felt when I’m in that crazy dream realm with you, or when we are talking to each other as we are now. It’s like you’re the missing puzzle piece in my life. I wouldn’t change anything that’s happened. Well, maybe my car accident, but other than that…” I trailed off.
Madelyn chuckled. “I would definitely take away your car accident if I could. That was difficult to witness on my end, and I would take away your suffering if I had the power to do so,” she admitted. I could almost sense her blushing on the other end of the phone. She seemed shy about confessing her feelings to me. I had to admit, I found that really sexy.
“I don’t want you to worry about Ava, okay? I want you to come out here and have a great time. I promise you that Ava won’t bother us one bit,” I told her.
“Alright. I promise not to worry about it. Now, I want to know more about you, Mr. Pierce. Tell me about your childhood and where you grew up. Do you have brothers and sisters? What made you want to pursue acting?” she started launching one question after another at me.
“Whoa, one at a time! I’ll tell you all about me, as long as you promise to do the same,” I requested.
“Of course,” she laughed.
We lost track of time talking to each other. It wasn’t until my battery started dying that I realized just how long we had been on the phone. “It’s getting pretty late. I’m sorry for keeping you up. I know you have to get to the airport in the morning,” I said.
“Oh my goodness! I didn’t realize the time, and my phone is about to die,” she exclaimed.
“So is mine. I can’t believe I get to meet you in person tomorrow. I hope you have a good flight and sweet dreams,” I told her. Suddenly, I remembered our kiss in the dream realm. “Hey, quick question. Did you enjoy that ‘kiss’ in the dream realm last night as much as I did?” I asked, smiling. She took a minute to answer, which made me start to worry.
“Yes, very much so,” she said coyly.
I breathed a sigh of relief before saying: “Me too. I can’t wait to see you.”
“I’ll be there before you know it. See you tomorrow.”
“Sleep well,” I told her before hanging up. Every part of me yearned to be with her. I only hoped that tonight she and I would get to pick up where we left off in the last dream.
CHAPTER 19
MADELYN
I put my phone on the charger and crawled under the covers, letting out a big sigh. Damien definitely seemed to be so much more than what I expected. He was kind and funny, and he was trying so hard to make me feel comfortable when we spoke. He was turning out to be quite an amazing guy and I felt deep in my heart that our connection was beyond ordinary. The desire to be near him was something I couldn’t ignore.
I curled up on my side and nestled into my pillow, trying to get comfortable. I wa
nted nothing more than to slip into the dream realm and be with Damien one more time before we met face to face.
***
Friday morning dawned grey and rainy. Not exactly the best weather for travel, but nothing could dampen my mood today. Hopefully the rain would stop before I had to leave for the airport.
As I bustled about the kitchen, cleaning up after breakfast, I wondered again about Damien’s relationship with Ava. I couldn’t help but feel responsible for their break-up. What choice did I have but to contact him? Like he had said, neither of us asked for any of this to happen.
He didn’t go into too many details about their lunch when I asked, only that it went surprisingly well, and that Ava seemed to finally accept the relationship ending. Madame Yelena’s premonition must have been about someone else, because Damien made it sound like Ava had finally gained the closure she needed. I pushed the unpleasant thoughts from my mind and double-checked my list, making sure I hadn’t forgotten to pack anything. My bags were packed and sitting near the front door, and my itinerary was printed.
With my anxiety levels mounting, I decided to make myself another cup of Yelena’s tea before leaving, in hopes of calming my nerves. Now there was nothing to do but face the day.
***
I found my seat, threw my carry-on into the overhead compartment and sat down, mentally preparing myself for the five and a half hour flight. As I watched all the other passengers do the same, I wondered where they were headed; who was waiting for them at the airport? What adventure were they about to embark on? I also wondered who would be sitting next to me for such a long flight, but I didn’t have to wonder long. An elderly gentleman took the seat next to mine and smiled sweetly at me. I smiled back, comforted by the warm expression on his face. This trip was already starting off well.
As the captain announced our departure, I grabbed my crossword puzzle book out of my purse and diligently got to work on it, knowing it would help pass the time. The gentleman next to me pulled out a large print book as well and began reading.
I worked on my crossword for awhile before the humming of the airplane started lulling me to sleep. I felt the pencil slipping from my fingers…
I fell instantly into a dream. Damien was not there with me, of that much I was certain. This place was not the realm he and I shared together. I became acutely aware of strong flashes of color pulsing around me, consuming my senses. Suddenly, images and symbols I didn’t recognize began spinning furiously. My mind couldn’t focus on any of them, and I started feeling disoriented and almost scared. I closed my eyes to stop the maddening swirl of images, and willed myself to concentrate; I had control of this dream, after all. I opened my eyes, waiting for the swirling symbols to slow down so I could see them properly. All at once, they ceased their spinning, lining themselves up neatly so I could view them.
The first thing my eyes fell upon was a serpent; it’s golden skin wriggling slightly in its coiled form. Next to the snake were three arrows in the shape of a triangle. The triangle radiated a soft glow, as if it was shimmering in the sunlight. And finally, the third image was an iridescent sphere. The sphere was mesmerizing; it’s opalescent colors mingling beautifully together. The longer I looked at the orb, the more I longed to reach out and touch its glistening surface. A strange feeling of deja-vu came over me, and I felt a gentle tugging at the recesses of my mind, inviting me to remember something. Something important. Before recognition could dawn on me, I was jolted awake.
I opened my eyes, and gasped. What was that all about? I glanced down at my trembling hands and noticed they were once again covered in intricate henna-like designs, except this time, the design painted upon my skin appeared to be snakes. They began slithering and coiling around my fingers. I shrieked and started shaking my hands, trying to get them off me. I squeezed my eyes shut and felt a hand on my shoulder, shaking me slightly. When I opened my eyes once more, the henna and the snakes were gone.
“Are you alright, Miss? I think you were having a nightmare,” The elderly gentleman next to me said.
I cleared my throat and looked over at his face, which was etched with concern. “Yes… I’m okay. I think. I apologize if I bothered or startled you, sir.”
“Nonsense, dear. I’ve had many bad dreams in my life where I wished someone would wake me up and make them end.” The man’s expression turned serious, and I noticed a sadness in his eyes. I wondered if perhaps he had witnessed the atrocities of war, or experienced some kind of tragedy in his life.
“Well, I thank you for waking me.” I said, smiling at the man. He nodded, returning my smile, then turned his attention back to the book he was reading.
I wondered if that dream and all the strange hallucinations I was having had anything to do with the fact that I was on my way to see Damien. I tried taking deep breaths to calm myself, but it didn’t do much to quell my nerves. I looked at my watch: only an hour until we were due to land in LAX. I headed for the restroom with my make-up bag in tow, wanting to freshen up before landing. I squeezed into the miniscule lavatory and set my bag down in front of me. I looked up and barely recognized my reflection in the tiny mirror. My eyes were wide and bright – their jade color intensified by the emotions raging within me. Beyond that peculiar dream and the frightening hallucination, I was also a short time away from meeting Damien Pierce. The enormity of my situation struck me afresh as I began imagining what it would be like to finally meet him. He was the man currently gracing the cover of a newly released DVD. The same Damien Pierce who also recently donated $1.5 million dollars to help build a new children’s hospital in the Dominican Republic. Saying I felt nervous was an understatement.
I fluffed my hair, put on some mascara, and dabbed on a bit of lip gloss. I was wearing my favorite black leggings with knee-high boots and an emerald green fitted tunic, which hugged my curves and brought out the color of my eyes. It was an outfit I found stylish as well as comfortable, considering the length of the flight. I took off my scarf, which was now suffocating, and neatly folded it as I went back to take my seat; my hands still shaking slightly. I fidgeted nervously with my seatbelt as we waited to land.
***
Once we disembarked, I headed toward the terminal. I spotted a tall, African-American man in a pair of fashionable jeans and a red collared shirt, holding a sign with my name written on it. He was dressed more casually than I expected for a celebrity’s assistant, but maybe my preconceived notions were a tad stereotypical and based on what celebrities were like on reality T.V. or movies, rather than how they were in real life. He was handsome and appeared to be in his mid-thirties. He wore a friendly smile on his face as I approached.
“Hi there,” I greeted him. “I’m Madelyn Greene. You must be Bentley.”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Greene,” he said in a heavy southern accent as he extended his hand to shake mine. I couldn’t help noticing how huge his hands were - they completely engulfed my own. He gave me a warm smile before asking if I had any other luggage. I gestured to my carry-on. “Nope, this is it, and please call me Madelyn.” He gave me a nod, then grabbed the handle of my bag.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Did you have a nice flight?” he asked as we walked to the waiting white Land Rover parked outside the airport.
“Yes, thank you. It was long, but smooth nonetheless.”
“Have you been to Los Angeles before?”
“No, this is my first time,” I answered. “How long will it take to get to Mr. Pierce’s house from here?” I asked.
“Oh, I’d say about thirty minutes, depending on traffic,” he answered.
“Perfect.”
***
The car pulled up to a modern, sleek-looking iron gate. Bentley pressed a button on the dashboard and the gate doors began to slowly swing open. I was hyperventilating in the back seat. This was it – I was finally going to meet Damien. A feeling of overwhelming joy came over me so suddenly, that I wondered if it was Damien’s e
motions I was channeling, or if the proximity of our souls was causing this feeling of elation.
Bentley drove through the gate, and toward a beautiful contemporary mansion. There were lush, full grown trees shading the massive white and gray house, and the entire left side of the house appeared to be made of glass. The mansion was modern and gorgeous, and had a very Frank Lloyd Wright look about it. I gathered my scarf and purse as the car came to a stop. I took a moment to compose myself, then reached for the door handle.
“I’ll open the door for you. Wait just one second,” Bentley said, jumping out of the car.
“That’s okay. I got it,” I said opening the door. Bentley jumped out quickly and grabbed my carry-on from the trunk.
“Are you ready, Madelyn?” he asked.
“Yes, I’m ready… I think,” I said, exhaling loudly.
“I know you’re probably nervous and all, but I’ll let you in on a little secret - Damien is just as nervous, if not more so. He has been acting like a crazy person all morning, talking to himself and pacing back and forth around the house. The excitement to see you is starting to get to him, so we better get you in that house quick!” he exclaimed, winking at me.
“Well, the feeling is mutual,” I replied, laughing. I was quickly becoming a fan of Bentley…
We started walking toward the front door, but it suddenly burst open. Damien’s tall frame filled the doorway. He froze momentarily, then ran his hand through his dark, wavy hair. He shoved both hands into his pockets, looking somewhat uneasy, and smiled at me. His smile was so dazzling, it practically twinkled in the California sun. He was every bit as gorgeous as he was in his movies, or on the covers of magazines.
“Madelyn.”
“Hello, Damien,” I said walking toward him. It was as if my soul was commanding me to move closer to him. I allowed my body and mind to do what it needed to. As soon as our eyes met, we were locked in place – his eyes searched mine, and mine his. Then something clicked. I saw in his eyes everything I’ve been looking for. My whole life, I’ve always felt unfulfilled, as if something inside me was missing. Now it felt like all the pieces were finally fitting into place. An overwhelming feeling of peace washed over me. I don’t know how long he and I remained standing there, staring at each other, but something in his expression told me he had just experienced the same thing. He held his hand out to me, and I eagerly took it, relishing in the warmth of his hand against my own. On impulse, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed myself closer to his body, inhaling his scent. Hugging him felt natural, like being in his arms was where I belonged.
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