Opening his eyes, Derek prepared himself for the worst as pain exploded in his head. The sun had already risen, apparently hours before, and now blazed through the small window to the fire escape. Though usually harmless, today it lit a fire in his skull that set his eyes to burning and his pounding head took on a more aggressive tone. Jade had put curtains up on the window, but as was often the case, the curtains remained undrawn, the window cracked open to allow fresh air into the small space.
Letting his eyes focus, the brunt of the new pain subsiding, he moved slowly, meticulously, to disentangle himself from her slender legs. Twisting as he shifted away from her, he carefully lowered each of her newly unsupported limbs to the mattress, stifling a giggle as he realized her panties only clung to one leg, the elastic on the opposite side having been torn through.
The pounding in his head urged him to hurry lest it retreat. Derek listened.
Moments later, sitting down in the dark, antique wooden chair he had salvaged from a dumpster years ago, he reached across his small writing table, littered with papers covered in scribbled notes, and flipped open his laptop.
Pressing his fingertips firmly into his temples he waited the moments the machine took to boot up. Having neither antivirus software nor Internet connection made the process a fast one, and a few seconds later he lowered his hands, clicking open his current project, blinking as it appeared upon the screen. It was not as he had left it.
Below the previous writing he had done was a message that Jade had somehow managed to leave for him without his notice. He grinned as he read the words.
“Hey baby, give it to me. Harder…..Harder….
Oh yea, yea, like that…yes yes YES!!!
HAHA, you know you like it!
Good morning Love, had a great time at the concert last night.
Thank you for taking me. Now, GET TO WORK!”
Highlighting the note, Derek copied and pasted it into another folder reserved for the notes she managed to leave him without detection. Focused upon the task at hand, he dove back into the world he had created for his readers. It was a world full of intrigue, mystery, dangers, magic, and dark evil beings. It was a world that had attracted a moderate fan base, a great agent, and a publishing house that was constantly pressing for the next book he was contracted to write.
Already he had passed his last deadline. Twice. Ted, his agent, had left him so many voice mails that the box was full, but he dared not reply, not yet. Money was growing scarce, his last advance having been expended, but Jade had managed to pick up some of the slack for which he was grateful. Like this, however, they would never make progress. Derek was assured that once his series was complete the sales would climb and soon he would be swimming in money, yet for months earlier in the year he was unable to write. It had been a dark and trying time, where writer’s block would have been welcome. That had not been the issue; it was more a matter of inspiration. The closer each deadline came, the harder it became to write, until finally he could write nothing at all. Then he had met Jade… Perhaps not met, but saw. She was dancing, alone, in a dark corner of a small pub just a few blocks away. Though she didn’t inhabit the dance floor as most would, she had the attention of most of the men in the place. She was not overtly attractive. Pretty, but she did not exude perfection.
Confidence is what drove eyes to her and lustily both men and women gazed upon her as she swirled and twirled like a gypsy. Derek had been forced to leave the pub, his head pounding for the first time in months. He wrote three chapters that night, and spent the next three weeks bouncing bar to bar and club to club in hopes of finding her again. Find her he did.
When next he saw her he knew not what to do, and staggering up to her like a fool his first words to her were, “I need you.”
Most women would have been creeped out instantly, probably slapping him and stalking off. Jade had simply answered, “Is that so? And why, Mister Stranger, is that?” Derek answered her honestly.
A few short weeks later they were living together and henceforth they had survived and thrived off one another, asking little of their pasts. He supposed they were a couple now. He could not picture life without her, not because he was madly in love, though he did have love for her. But because she made something in him work. They connected on levels, dark levels that regular people did not connect upon. Her scent, her touch, her taste excited him, and brought life to his otherwise drab world. She alone was able to unlock that which he needed to thrive; she was his drug of choice, and she let his mind fly.
Derek flew now as the world around him swept past, the rays of light through the window crawling across the floor with the passage of time. For hours he sat unmoving, except for the swift clicking of keys beneath his fingers. Inside his head voices called to one another, each seeking a reply, a response, and each vying for his attention. He answered, until he saw them and looking upon the vast world within him, he felt at home.
Behind him a spring in the mattress creaked slightly. Jade stirred. Subconsciously Derek made note, but he dared not relent. Before him upon the monitor letters made words and words created sentences. Those formed to make paragraphs and pages where moments before were naught. A story was unfolding more rapidly than he could ever recall, and the world he created called out to him longingly.
Mournful were the cries as Derek noticed the change and the throbbing inside his head began to subside. He whispered a curse and redoubled his effort but he could feel the world fading. The voices began to diminish and he literally held his breath those last minutes, listening in vain to hear more, feel more. No more. It had slipped away just as surely as it had come and for long moments he sat staring blankly at the screen seeing nothing.
Where seconds ago he had held bliss within him, now a great emptiness threatened to swallow him, tugging his soul down into untold depths. Derek let it pass, the feeling of nothingness, and as was common these days, it did. He blinked slowly, taking a deep breath he savored the feeling of accomplishment as he opened his eyes anew and scrolled up to reread what had transpired upon his screen. Already the scene he had just written was vague in his memory, slipping away like a shadow from his past. Now, however, it could not escape him.
Half way through reading the scene, he noted out of the corner of his eye Jade sweeping by, her fingernails trailing lightly over his shoulder as she passed. With one eye on the screen and the other on Jade, he smiled, noticing she had forfeited her panties from last night, donning a fitted white tank top and tiny cotton shorts; he admired the sway of her ass as she crossed the room.
Moments later he could hear the sizzle from the kitchen area, and the scents of food and coffee caught his attention. Though the coffee pot was on a timer, and he imagined it had brewed hours ago, he had not noticed it until now. Finished and quite satisfied with what he read, Derek pressed save and, inserting his favorite flash drive, he recorded a backup, as well. Today he would call Ted to give him the good news: for the first time in months he was caught up with his deadlines. This singular morning he had managed to write another two chapters. He was halfway through the novel now, and happily he closed the laptop and rose to join the reason for his satisfaction.
With her back to him, Jade stood before the stove, shaking her hips to a tune playing out in her head. He wondered what it was like to be in there with her, so full of life and music, and watched as her hand rose before her. Though he could not see the action, he knew her to be fiddling with the necklace she wore like a piece of her own flesh. Even with her back turned he could see with his mind’s eye the twirling and twisting of her finger, wrapping itself up in the small chain while she twisted the singular pendant between her thumb and middle finger. It was an action she did not notice, but when her mind was busy with other musings she often reached up to play with the necklace that hung from her neck.
Crossing the room silently and sliding around the small island that separated the living space from the supposed kitchen, Derek slipped behind her. He wondered i
f there were panties beneath those shorts for just a moment before reaching down to grasp her hips.
* * * * *
Jade rolled and stretched, the sheets feeling like a silky heaven against her bare skin. She reached out an arm, not really surprised to find the bed empty beside her. After another moment to luxuriate in that hazy, post sleep dreamland she swung her legs off the side of the bed.
A quick trip to the bathroom, a moment to brush her teeth, and Jade slipped on cotton shorts and a cami before heading out towards the kitchen and the fresh coffee she smelled wafting from that direction.
A quick glance confirmed that her errant boyfriend was hard at work with his nose buried in his laptop. Smiling to herself, she turned her efforts to making breakfast. Although, she guessed that at one in the afternoon, it was probably more like lunch.
Shrugging off the schedule that most would find odd, she acknowledged that her normal was more than a little left of most. Which fit, since she was a little left of most.
She lived in a world that thrived in darkness, a world not unlike the concert last night. Rather than an aberration, that was her norm. And she wouldn't change it for anything.
She felt the hands on her hips, the lips on her neck, just as she slipped the eggs out of the pan and onto Derek’s plate.
Turning for a quick kiss, she smiled back at him. "I made you breakfast. I didn't figure you would take any time to eat."
The slightly chagrined expression told her more than words. He had probably only managed a couple hours of sleep, if that, before settling down with his computer, desperate to pour out the images he had fighting for dominance within his mind.
His personality quirks would probably make some women crazy, but they didn't faze her too much. She figured she had enough 'quirks' of her own to more than compensate for his propensity to withdraw into his head and ignore her completely. She had enough confidence in herself to realize it wasn't personal. It was just Derek.
She was withdrawn in her own way, as well. Whereas Derek simply shut people out, she used words and laughter to keep them at a distance. She had discovered that if you talked enough, no one noticed that you weren't actually telling them anything.
Derek knew differently. He recognized her evasion tactic for precisely what it was, and he simply let it slide and accepted her limits. Since he let her keep her secrets, never probing too deeply into her past, she could let him have his foibles.
They had been together a while now, settling into a routine that seemed to work for both of them. Considering her rather unusual schedule, combined with her rather eclectic tastes in everything, finding someone she could fit with was almost a miracle unto itself. Being sexually compatible with the same person, well that was totally miraculous.
She didn't know if she was in love with Derek, not in the traditional, happily ever after, storybook romance kind of way. She just loved that she could be herself with him, whatever her current mood, and he would accept her. It was all the benefits of being alone... with someone else.
Yanking herself out of her own musings and focusing once again on breakfast, she set the plates on the table, grabbing forks and napkins before she settled down to enjoy their breakfast.
"Do you have to work tonight?" Derek asked.
"Yep. I go in at eight. I'll be off by three or four." He knew she meant a.m. so there was no need to clarify. Such were the hours of a bartender.
"How's the writing? It looked productive when I walked by."
A kind of sideways head bob, was followed by a smile, a cat-that-ate-the-canary smile. "It's good. You know how you inspire me."
Throwing him a quick wink, she couldn't help but tease, "I found last night to be very... inspiring."
A deep laugh rumbled from his chest, more telling than his words would ever be. He was happy this morning. Obviously sleep deprived, but happy, which meant the writing was going extremely well. A thought his next words confirmed.
"I have finally caught up with my deadline. I can quit dodging Ted's phone calls and e-mails now."
"So, how should we celebrate? I can stop and pick up some champagne before work."
"Ha, how about we hold the celebration until the book is actually finished."
She sent him a little smile, nodding her head in silent agreement. It was always best not to lie, so she would simply keep her mouth shut. She knew he wouldn't mind her ignoring his request.
She cleared the table, quickly rinsing the food off the plates. She knew he was watching her movements, could even picture his dark eyes half shut, mentally recording her actions for later use. She found it interesting just how much he truly saw through an expression that appeared completely closed. Unlike most people, Derek noticed things. The kind of things people didn't really want revealed.
The dishes done, she wiped her wet hands down her shirt before turning back to face him.
"I'm going to go take a shower. Care to join me?"
After their shower, Jade took some time to get dressed while Derek headed out to take care of the dishes. She combed out her long chestnut mane, opting for her standard braid to keep her hair out of her face at work tonight. A quick dash of mascara and lip-gloss and her “makeup” was done.
She stood in front of her meager though eclectic closet trying to determine just what kind of mood she was in. She pulled out her charcoal gray pants, fitted with suspenders. These would work perfectly. Grabbing a deep purple t-shirt and her black jacket she was dressed. Now, where were her boots?
She wandered out to the living room, the clackety-clack of computer keys warning her that Derek was back at work. Finding her boots by the front door, she slipped them on before heading to the kitchen to grab a pen and paper. It could be hours before Derek surfaced again, but when he did he would come looking for her.
"When you resurface and come to find me
I'll be at work.
Make sure you think up at least one good
fantasy we can act out when I get home.
I KNOW I will!"
She slipped the note onto the corner of his desk, somewhere he was sure to find it with minimum effort. She couldn't resist giving him a quick kiss on his head, causing him to lift one hand and brush her away as if she were a gnat.
Laughing, she walked out the door, making sure to lock it behind her. Someone could walk right into the apartment and steal everything they owned, and unless they grabbed his computer, he'd never even notice.
Walking back downtown, Jade passed the same building, the same people she passed every day. It was still somewhat early, the sun just beginning to set behind the buildings in the west. The city was different during the daylight hours: dingier, darker... in her mind almost eerier than it looked at midnight. It could just be that she was rarely outdoors during daylight hours. Or maybe it was the grime that was hidden by darkness, a soft glow of street lamps adding warmth without highlighting the flaws. Regardless of the why, she was lucky to live here. Rent was cheap, she was close to work and social avenues, no car necessary. They were barely removed from the pulse of Detroit, the underground clubs, secret bars, and midnight raves that drew her in like catnip.
She stopped at a corner liquor store, grabbing a bottle of cheap champagne to celebrate with when she got home. Dropping her change into the hat of a homeless man on the corner, she continued on the last two blocks to work.
She hopped down the stairs, glancing at the bouncer who opened the door to the underground club where she worked. Recognizing Scott at the door, she smiled and winked, pausing a moment until his normally severe demeanor broke into a smile. Once the smile was returned, she walked inside.
The outside world disappeared. Here she was in her element, surrounded by noise, chaos, an energy that ran through the crowd, drawing you in. The atmosphere here was always the same, quiet revelry tinged with desperation in a place where time stood still. This was her world.
Chapter Three
After their shower, or perhaps during, Derek had hoped to aga
in find inspiration. None forthcoming, he forwent dressing, simply pulling on some boxers before returning to his computer. Jade stood naked, her hair still damp, before the closet. He presumed she might be there a while.
Taking a seat he flipped the screen open once more and entered his password. When his manuscript returned to the screen he pressed print before closing the program. Opening a new document, Derek relaxed his shoulders and closed his eyes, letting the words form in his mind, assuring himself that the words he heard sounded the same once on the screen. For some time he hammered the keys, meticulously creating the paragraphs that needed to convey his desire. Sometime later he reread what he had typed. Three times, just to be certain.
Reaching across his desk, he picked up yet another flash drive, this one brightly labeled “Unsecure.” He used it only for third party transmissions, on a public PC, in a public place, where he could obtain Internet access. Saving the letter he typed to the flash drive, he removed it and carefully sat it beside his keyboard.
From under a pile of scribbled notes on his desk, he produced a large manila envelope. It was the padded type, lined with bubble wrap. If heated, the thin plastic of the wrap would shrivel and melt, making it obvious the thing had been tampered with. That, however, was only the first precaution Derek took. Placing the portion of manuscript he had printed into the envelope, he carefully licked the strip of water-activated glue, being sure to moisten every bit. The bitter taste clung to his tongue as he pressed the seal firmly closed, holding it tight for several minutes.
Beyond The Mask (The Beyond Book 1) Page 2
