Rogan nodded appreciatively as he fell upon the food with gusto. He found the food more pleasant than he had done ever since he had been in this future. Perhaps, he mused, it was the company of a friendly, pleasant person like Julia that made him feel that way. But he also realized that he should not let his focus fall short, lest he got himself lost even further than he already was.
“This is a fine repast, indeed.” He smiled at Julia. “It may serve me well to take all my meals here.”
“Yeah, Wendy’s is the best.” She gave him a wide smile. “But tell me, Rogan… why do you speak like people did, I don’t know, maybe a few centuries ago… almost as if Shakespeare wrote your lines.”
“Pardon me, I am unaware of the customary speech of this ti… er… place.” He shrugged. “Perhaps under your tutelage I may learn the local nuances here.”
“Er, yeah…” She almost blushed again. “Now that you’re going to basically be my partner, I suppose I could teach you a little more than what the standard manual offers.”
“Ah, yes.” Rogan nodded. “Pray tell me, what manner of patronage does your sire, Foster, bestow upon me?”
“Um, if I understood all that correctly… Captain Foster agreed to appoint you as a trainee on the force, under my care.” She explained as he stared into her eyes. “We’ll have a week’s worth of training at the station before we are ready to go out in the field. And Foster’s not my sire; he’s just a superior officer.”
“Ah, I see now.” He smiled warmly. “Foster is your captain and I am to be trained under you to serve as a law bringer here in this vast city.”
“Yeah, that’s right.” She sighed in relief.
“This I most willfully accept,” Rogan said, surprising himself with his own enthusiasm. “I am at your service whenever you deem fit.”
“Great!” She smiled. “Let’s get you outfitted right away then, Trainee Officer Rogan O’Kirkfalls.”
~ ~ ~
“Are you sure these scores and results are for real, Kincaid?” Captain Maurice ‘Mo’ Foster raised an eyebrow as he leafed through the paperwork. “He’s practically set records in every theoretical test we have here.”
“Wait till you get a load of these, Captain.” The young woman beamed as she excitedly handed him Rogan’s fitness and weapons handling tests. “I can’t believe these myself, and barely a week ago he couldn’t tell one end of a shotgun from the other.”
“So he’s a master of every type of firearm we’ve got now, all in the span of one week.” Foster grunted, eyeing the reports with a little disbelief. “And he was exceptional with his bare hands and batons, sticks and also blades even before we started his training last week.”
“I told you that there is something more to him than meets your eye.” Julia laughed triumphantly.
“Sure, you can be smug about this, but you’ve still got the task of making him into an effective police officer.” Foster wagged his finger at her. “All these reports prove he can make a great soldier. I wonder if the army knows about him. They’ll take him in a heartbeat.”
“Don’t you dare, Mo Foster.” Julia feigned anger. “Rogan is NYPD and I’m getting him his badge in a week.”
“I’ll buy you a steak dinner and Peter Luger’s if you get him to make the news in a week.” The stocky captain shook his head in acceptance.
“Yum, I’ll hold you to that, Cap.” She winked as she turned to leave his office. “And I’m bringing Rogan with me. That man can eat, so you’d better take your Amex card along.”
Her smile stretched wide across her lovely face as she strode up to the highlander waiting outside. Rogan looked up from his seat near the stairway. A week had gone by since he had first met her. It was the most pleasant seven days of his month long stay in this future world. He had grown accustomed to many things and had begun to like a few of them. He felt guilty as he enjoyed Julia’s company. She almost made it bearable for him without his beloved Alicia. It was still too soon for him to accept that he might never see Alicia again and this life was all he had now.
“Your awesome scores sure made the Captain jump up.” Julia patted his broad shoulder. “We’ve got the green light to hit the field, Rogan. Tomorrow, we’ll be out on patrol, keeping the streets of New York free of crime.”
“I daresay, I have been looking forward to that.” Rogan rose up, his near seven foot frame towering over her.
“Cool, so get some rest, no more training to do,” She grinned and patted the side of his thick upper arm. “Take in a movie or read a book. We’ll be up and about for nine hours a day from tomorrow.”
Rogan nodded and watched her walk away. He wanted to follow her to where she was headed, but he didn’t think it would be wise. She had given him her leave and he would honor it, but he wasn’t sure of what to do next. A movie was not something he particularly liked, having seen such moving images on small window-like screens since the time he had been stuck in this alternate realm. He found what was shown to be too phantasmal for his liking. And he wasn’t much for scrolls and books, leaving those tedious tasks for the monks and priests. With nothing else to keep him interested, he strolled back to the little room that was assigned to him at the back of the police station and decided to take a midday nap.
Clasping the little glowing pendant around his neck in his callused fingers, he closed his eyes and thought of Alicia, asking for forgiveness if his mind had strayed a few times in the last week. Julia was a very impressive woman and he had begun to get very fond of her, but Alicia was his love, his life, the one whom he would go to Hell for and back. He sighed deeply, whispering her name. He could almost feel her as he caressed the glowing stone in the pendant. Her beautiful face, large misty blue eyes and rich raven black hair, smooth and shiny, filled his mind. He envisioned her smiling and holding her arms out wide for him to fall into.
“Oh, Alicia…” He said, his voice a trembling whisper. “I’m coming for you, my love.”
“Yes, my love.” She said sweetly, making his heart soar. “Come to me, my love… my life… my heart. Come to me, Rogan… I am so cold and lonely without you.”
Rogan could almost feel her touch, the warmth of her breath on his rough skin. She was so close, right there, barely inches away. He reached out. He could feel the smooth velvet of her soft skin. Her pale naked flesh seemed to glow in the light of the full moon. Rogan looked around in surprise. His heart leapt for joy. He was back in the meadow and it was a full moon night with the sweet sounds of the familiar bubbling streams and the melodious chirps of birds, the rustling of leaves and the whistling wind.
He was back home and with her, with his beloved Alicia. She hugged his neck, kissing his face, weeping for joy. Tears ran freely down his face as much as hers did. He kissed her, drowning in the intoxicating nectar of her sweet lips. She breathed huskily into this mouth, filling him with longing and desire. Her bare skin was hot and sent waves of arousal all through him. The familiar pleasure of his raging blood filling into his rising erection made his head spin. So long it had been, since he had made love, so long ago it seemed.
Alicia rose up and pushed her naked breasts to his face, her erect cherry pink nipples yearning for the warm moistness of his hungry lips. He gave in to the temptation immediately, making her moan lustfully and call out his name. Rogan savagely sucked and bit into her soft flesh, even as her sharp nails raked across his dense muscular back. Their love was pure and their union eternally blissful. Rogan rejoiced as the warmth of her womanhood engulfed his pulsing erection whole, sending shivers of paralyzing pleasure all through his weary body. He felt his energy level rise, his strength multiply and his love for life bloom once again.
“Oh, Alicia… my Alicia.” He all but wept as he ground his hips against hers.
“Oh, Rogan… oh, fill me with your love.” She gasped, siphoning his raging hardness ever deeper.
His body stiffened as he felt days of stress and angst begin to release though him. He shook with the anticipation of a po
werful orgasm and held on to her tightly, kissing and pecking at her lovely neck and yielding breasts. He slammed in hard, going in deep with animalistic grunts, making her gasp and moan in tandem with his frantic strokes.
“Oh, Rogan… Rogan…” Her scream was almost hysterical. “I’m cumming so hard, baby… fuck me, fuck me, yeah!”
“Oh, yes!” Rogan roared, almost on the verge of ecstatic release himself.
Her words seemed strange; he had never heard such from her lips before. He glanced up to look at her ecstatic face as she released all over his throbbing manhood. His heart froze and he felt a chill descend all over him, making his impending release implode back on itself.
“Julia?” His eyes went wide. “No… no…”
“What’s the matter, baby.” The naked hazel eyed woman writhing under him smiled lasciviously. “I know you want me… and now you have me.”
“No!” Rogan sat upright, scrambling away from his trainer and falling off the bed.
He hurt his head on the way down and then looked around the small room groggily. He was alone, his trembling body covered in cold sweat. His hands shook as he felt himself up. He was fully clothed and no one else was around. It was still daytime.
“A dream?” He said softly, burying his face in his palms. “Another accursed dream… why am I haunted so?”
He washed his face and sat by the little window, his hands clasping at the pendant, calming himself down. His love for Alicia burned ever brightly in his heart and yet he seemed drawn toward Julia. He asked for forgiveness from whoever would grant that to him. This wasn’t a life he had bargained for. It seemed that Nostrazcus could even torment him from across the great divide of time. He was sure that the wizard was behind these horrible dreams that plagued him, to drive him insane.
“I will return, wizard.” He cursed under his breath. “I will tear out your black heart and feed it to you.”
“I know you will, my love.” He heard Alicia’s soothing voice filling his mind. “Now rest, sleep and let your love for me find you a way back here.”
“Yes, Alicia, my love.” He mumbled as drowsiness overcame him again. Holding on to the pendant with both hands, Rogan fell back on the bed and this time the dreams decided to spare him.
~ ~ ~
“Hey, wake up, sleepyhead!” Julia’s cheerful voice exploded inside his head and his eyes shot wide open.
“I swear to you, Julia.” Rogan smiled sheepishly. “I am awake, just closing my eyes to think…”
“Hm, so I’ve noticed… you’ve been doing a lot of thinking since we’ve been training together.” She eyed him with a mischievous gleam. “What is it that’s going on in your mind, I wonder?”
“I am merely trying to bring back some of my lost memory.” He smiled, glancing across as she drove the squad car.
“So you’re not sleeping well at night?” She sounded genuinely concerned. “Your memory will return, once the time is right… no point losing sleep over it.”
“Your advice is sound, fair Julia.” He nodded. “And I shall heed it.”
“That’s cool and all but look alive.” She gave him a nod. “You’re a police officer now and we’re on patrol.”
“Aye, I am as sharp as ever.” He grinned, narrowing his green eyes for emphasis.“I shall remain ever vigilant as we scour the streets for vandals and highwaymen.”
“And whenever you get your memory back, I hope you don’t forget all the training you’ve been through.” She expressed concern. “And about little old me.”
“That would be impossible, fair Julia.” He sounded sincere. “You are most unforgettable.”
“Oh, now you’re just flattering me.” She laughed, but couldn’t help blushing a little.
“Truth is hardly flattery, dear Julia.” He sighed. “I am far from being silver tongued.”
“Oh, incoming message.” Julia cranked up the wireless set.
A static ridden voice erupted over the secure police band, informing them of a hold up in a grocery store down the next block.
“Oh, wow!” Julia exclaimed. “We’re just a minute away. Time for some action, rookie.”
“I am ever ready for it.” Rogan cracked his knuckles as the young woman floored the pedal.
“Here we are.” She hit the brakes hard after a sharp right turn. “Wiley’s Quick-E-Mart.”
Stepping out of the car, guns drawn, Julia took the lead with Rogan silently following her footsteps. It was still quite early in the morning and the mart had just opened its doors to the few morning shoppers who braved the chill. An armed robber thought it a perfect time to pull a heist.
“How many in there, Mitch?” Julia asked the beat cop crouching outside the main door of the store.
“Just one and he’s packing heat - a magnum .45 and some kind of sawed off shotgun.” The older man replied. “Who’s the big guy, Jules?”
“He’s new.” She nodded. “Name’s Rogan. I’m breaking him in.”
“Some hostages in there - old man Wiley and a few customers, mostly senior citizens, and his grandkid.” Mitch Caruthers went on.
“Think we can take him?” Julia asked apprehensively. “Don’t want this to turn into a bloody shootout. Not with children and the elderly in there.”
“We must take him by surprise.” Rogan offered. “Laying siege outside will only increase the peril of those trapped inside.”
“Say what now?” Caruthers scratched his head, looking up at the towering man in the same uniform he was wearing.
“He means, we need to sneak in and disarm the guy.” Julia smiled. “He’s just a robber, and not some trigger-happy psycho, isn’t he?”
“Yeah, name’s Dilly Pyres, small time hood, done time for robbing before too.” Caruthers said through clenched teeth. “He knows we’re out here, so we’d better wait for more… hey, where’s the big guy of yours gone?”
“What?” Julia looked around in surprise. “He was right here. What the heck?”
A gunshot echoed from inside the mart, making the two of them jump. They could hear some scuffling and then people were suddenly cheering. The front door opened and Rogan strode out, dragging an unconscious man out by the collar.
“Rogan, what the hell?” Julia had a look of incredulity in her face.
“He will threaten the fair patrons of this fine tradesman no more.” Rogan grinned and dropped the senseless man before her feet.
“How did you do…” Caruthers stood agape. “I mean, what the heck… he just went in and came out with the guy trussed up… what?”
“Hero cop in the making?” Old man Wiley beamed around, clapping his hands. “Whatever you want, young feller, just ask, it’s on the house for you as long as I run this place.”
“You are most generous, kind sir.” Rogan bowed slightly. “I shall take up on your offer should the need arise.”
“Wow, is he, like, not from around here?” A young redhead in tight cutaway jeans and tube top with a lollypop in her mouth was all smiles. “He, like, saved Grandpa and me… he’s awesome.”
“Yes, he’s new here.” Julia nodded curtly. “On an exchange program with the Irish Police.”
“Cool!” The redhead smiled at Rogan and winked. “Call me sometime, Irish Cop.”
Rogan smiled back, doffing his cap.
“Well, it’s all wrapped up here then.” Julia cuffed the incapacitated robber. “I’ll call it in. Let’s go, Rogan. We’ll need to fill in a full report of your first arrest.”
“To the dungeons with this one.” The flame haired warrior grinned, pushing the robber into the back seat after divesting him of anything else he could use as a potential weapon and then getting in beside Julia as she gunned the engine.
“Well, yeah, he’s getting five years for this repeat offence, being on a parole and all.” Julia eased the car around and slammed down on the gas. “But how did you do it so effortlessly?”
“I walked right up to him.” He smiled nonchalantly. “He wasn’t expecting such a
thing and so I took advantage of his surprised state of immobility.”
“And who fired that shot?” She eyed him with a bemused smile.
“I did.” Rogan laughed, whisking out the magnum. “I wanted to see what this weapon did after I rendered him senseless.”
“I hope you didn’t hit anyone.” Julia sucked in a sharp breath.
“Just the woodwork.” He grinned, putting the confiscated weapon away.
“Well, good job… but next time, we go in together…” Julia said in an almost lecturing tone. “if I report this one as it happened, Foster’s going to take my badge for letting you run in all vigilante-like.”
“I will do as you command.” He bowed his head.
“I don’t command.” She laughed, honking at the car in front of her. “I want us to work together. We’re a team.”
Choosing Hearts - The Fighter's Passion (Gritty, Explicit Romance Novel) (A Lusty Stand Alone Story) Page 9
