Distant Souls

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DISTANT SOULS The 7 Deadly Sins and Virtues Series Copyright © 2006 Sarah Dickson ISBN: 1-55410-670-2 Cover art and design by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books, a division of Zumaya Publications, 2006 Look for us online at: www.zumayapublications.com www.Extasybooks.com

DISTANT SOULS Seven Sins and Virtues Series SLOTH By

SARAH DICKSON

DISTANT SOULS

T

he temperature gauge rose. The radiator in the old truck had been repaired twice already, and needed replacing. Alex had hoped to reach the next major town before it went again. Not so, it seemed. Once, Alex would have screamed when his truck broke down. Now all he did was shrug. After surviving cancer, things like a blown radiator seemed trivial by comparison. He looked about the tracts of farmland. With cows grazing nearby, there had to be a homestead somewhere. A copse of trees later, he spotted a rundown building tucked behind an overgrown garden. Steam rose from the bonnet. Rather than risk going farther, he cut the engine at the end of the driveway. He’d not be moving the truck until the engine cooled down. Hopefully it was a small leak in the radiator and he’d be able to repair it with ease. A deep rumble made him look skywards. The grey clouds had been following him for some time. Suddenly they seemed a lot closer. A flash of lightning flickered through the clouds, charging the air with energy. He loved these moments where he could take the 1

Distant Souls energy of the storm and infuse it into his body, a technique he developed after being cured of cancer. From what he sensed in this storm, the energy would be quite potent. A droplet fell on his cheek as he made his way up the driveway. Once sealed, it was now covered in cracks with weeds growing in between. Moisture increased in the air with each heartbeat. The overgrown garden seemed to give a collective sigh. Trees were entangled between each other while thick undergrowth clamored for light. Alex could sense their frustration, but it paled compared to the dilapidated house. What a mess. The walls needed a good sanding and paint and the window-sills needed replacement. A couple of the windows had cracked glass. Another droplet fell. He stepped onto the boards on the front verandah. One moved and he nearly fell sideways. Moving off the board quickly, he made his way towards the door, and pushed. It didn’t move. Rain began to pummel the tin roof, soon turning into a deafening roar. He doubted anyone would have heard him knock. He tried the door-knob and it turned. A short twist further and the door opened. Why hadn’t he thought of that before? A wave of extreme negative energy nearly sent him reeling. He staggered, and righted himself near one the posts on the front verandah. Gasping for breath he threw a wall over his mind, like a shimmering veil. The feeling receded. 2

Sarah Dickson Whoever lived, or had lived here gave such negative energy that he almost considered returning to the truck and taking his chances there. He turned around, and was about to leave when he sensed someone behind him. “Can I help you?” He spun around and nearly drowned in a sea of despair in the form of pale blue tired eyes that looked up at him with indifference. Her aura was black, and dirty. No wonder he sensed so much negative energy. He breathed her in, a sweet womanly scent, such a contrast to her aura. A light tremor raced up and down his spine. Surely he couldn’t be attracted to her. He took a step backwards, and resumed his perusal of her. Unkempt brown hair fell to her shoulders. She wore a T-shirt that should have been tossed out months ago, and her pants hung so loosely that he had no idea of her build. That he even considered what she might look like, under what was essentially a sack-cloth, bothered him. She wasn’t his type at all. In the last three years of his wanderings, women had not interested him in general. Aside from conversation or a means to obtain direction, he kept to his own company. Yup. The sooner he contacted help the sooner he could leave. “What can I do for you?” Lightning struck the main road at the end of the driveway with a loud crack. He spun about. Yikes. The bolt had narrowly missed his truck. Keeping a brave face on it, he smiled briefly. One 3

Distant Souls thing the elements had taught him, certain events in ones’ life could not be circumvented, and this looked like such a time. “My truck is broken down,”he lied. She glanced past him, and nodded slowly. “So I see, and nearly squashed by a tree too.”She opened the door wider. “S’pose I can’t leave you out here.” He steeled himself against the negative energy in the passageway. Unless he was becoming used to it, the karma wasn’t so bad. A flicker of white rippled over her body. A spark of what she once must have been. Intrigued, he wondered what had driven her to such an indifferent state. Oh no you don’t. You are not interested in her. You want to get a mechanic to fix the truck so you can skedaddle out of here. The telephone sat on a nearby table. “You want to make a call to anyone?” “A mechanic.”It wasn’t beyond the realm of possibility he might need one. “Please.” She dialed and placed the headset to her ear. “Sam. It’s Melinda. I’ve got a visitor whose truck has broken down. Here. I’ll put him on for you.”She shoved the handset into his hands. “Hi, my name is Alex and… I-” “Sorry mate, we don’t work weekends.” Alex checked his watch. “It’s four pm, Friday afternoon.” “You don’t listen to the radio obviously. This storm is going to dump a bucket-load of rain on us and it will be around till tomorrow morning at least. The 4

Sarah Dickson roads will be slippery as hell in about an hour. Nope. You’ll have to wait until the storm subsides and the water’s evaporated off.” Alex had driven on dirt roads before, even when wet. He had a feeling the mechanic didn’t want to come out. Fine. He’d play it his way. “What do I do?” “Stay put mate, is what I’d suggest. We’ll get someone out on Monday.”And hung up. Right. Fate had definitely decreed he’d stop here. Melinda didn’t look all that pleased. “Looks like you’re stuck here.” Alex replaced the handset. Did he want to stay here? True, something about her fascinated him, but was she worth digging beneath the blackness in her aura to find it? A tiny part of him yearned to explore further, and under her top as well. Did she have a body to die for underneath the frumpy clothing? Where the heck had that suggestion came from? He didn’t need a distraction for start, not when all he wanted to do was get home. Home. Yeah right. An empty apartment in Sydney. Another bolt of lightning lit the hallway as bright as day. Blinking, he saw afterimages. Slowly they faded. No matter how he looked at it, he wasn’t going anywhere until the storm subsided. She pointed to an open door to her left. “There’s a spare bed in there.” Didn’t she care about who he was? He could be a madman. “Melinda.” She turned about and her eyes briefly widened at the tone of his voice. Low and husky, he recalled. 5

Distant Souls What possessed him to speak to her like that? Did he catch a flicker of interest in her eyes? “Yes?” “I’m a complete stranger.” She crossed her arms. “Look. I might appear to be slovenly to you but I’m not stupid. Men, trust me, I can read like an open book and you, mate, aren’t the dangerous kind.” No point in beating about the bush, was there? However, it did explain her hostility to men in general. A man had treated her badly, once. She waved him away. “Off you go and get your things. It’s only going to get wetter.” Back outside the oppressing energy faded, leaving him light headed. Maybe the attraction to her had all been in his mind. Rather than dwell on it – after all he would be gone in a couple of days – he considered how he was going to get to his truck without getting wet. The rain pummeled the roof of the front verandah and water cascaded over the side like a million small streams. No matter how he looked at it, umbrella or not, he was going to get totally soaked. With his hand shielding his forehead, he dashed into the rain. The water felt exhilarating against his back. Cold too, always was, no matter how warm the day was. The dry heat had gone, leaving cool cleansing rain in its wake. The smell of the earth reached his nostrils. It hadn’t rained for weeks, not in this part of New South Wales. The land had been dry and afflicted by drought. Brown paddocks mile after mile. At least a few 6

Sarah Dickson farmers would be celebrating, maybe. If the rain poured this hard for as long as the mechanic suggested, he might be right about the roads being difficult to drive on. Soaked from the rain, he reached the truck. Opening the door, Alex grabbed his bag from the passenger seat. He was about to return, when he noticed the negative energy had gone. He lowered the shield, amazed at how much energy he’d used to do so. He considered sleeping under the canopy he had fitted to the truck. A flash of lightning nearby made him jump. A loud crack followed. A groaning noise made him turn about to look for the source. A large tree was about to fall. Normally one didn’t get a chance to think before a tree was about to fall, but he was lucky. Grabbing his gear Alex ran back up the driveway, just as it crashed behind him. He tossed his bag on the verandah and then went back to see if he still owned a truck or not. Miraculously it had missed, how, Alex had no idea. The main branch barely touched the bonnet while the remainder rested in the front of the truck blocking most of the road as well. An ironic thought came to him. Had the fall been on purpose so he’d not be able to sleep at the back of the truck after all? He couldn’t rule it out. Fate had dealt a strange hand to him since being cured. Shivering, Alex returned to the verandah. He winced at the negative energy from Melinda who leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed. Briefly, he caught another flicker of interest in her otherwise bored gaze. White aura briefly resurfaced from the 7

Distant Souls darkness and the negative karma briefly dipped before returning again. Whatever lay buried inside her soul wanted out, and for some deep-seated reason he wanted to know who the real Melinda was. The whiteness dissipated completely. “Want a drink?” “Water, please. And might I change first?” Her eyes widened, narrowed. “Sure. The bathroom is at the back, right door.” She moved aside as he passed, averting her gaze when he accidentally brushed her arm. Heat flared up his arm straight to his groin. No way. He wasn’t interested in her, not at all.

**** Melinda nearly gasped from the heat that shot up her arm. She rubbed her arm where he had touched her. It’s just a bodily reaction from too much disuse. Sure, he wasn’t too bad looking, with his unkempt brown hair and piercing amber eyes that seemed to say trust me. Nor could she forget how his dripping Tshirt clung to his well-toned chest. She imagined running her finger from his throat to between his nipples then downNo you don’t. Don’t even think about him in such a way. She would never get involved with any man again, ever. Melinda walked outside and sat on an old sofa to watch the storm, not caring about the occasional drip 8

Sarah Dickson from a couple of holes in the roof. She often sat out here and remembered what she had left. It used to hurt once, but not any more. Very little hurt her these days, and that was how she survived. Once she had it all, money and success, but then came the lies, first her husband, now her ex, and her boss, now ex as well. Men she categorized into one area, untrustworthy. All they did was take take take. Theft of her ideas was bad enough by her boss; theft of trust by her ex husband was entirely another matter. If it had been another woman she might have accepted it, but it had been about money, her wonderful income that both of them enjoyed. He more so in the end. After she walked out on her boss, she took time out. Her ex wasn’t so patient, so in the end he left her. She felt sorry for any poor woman he’d snared, since. She’d better be a good cash cow. The rage had died long ago, or she thought it had, until Alex stirred emotions all but dead and buried. Five years it had been. Living nice and quiet doing nothing that could make another even remotely want to be near her again. She liked to think the dilapidated garden was part of a plan to deter people, and it did, usually. If Alex’s truck hadn’t broken down here, he would have gone right on by. But he hadn’t and she had to admit that fate always dealt a hand for a reason. Bah. She wasn’t going to buy it. Coincidence was all it was. The rain thrummed on the roof and her eyes began to feel droopy. She leaned back in the sofa and 9

Distant Souls yawned. Why not sleep, not a lot else to do about here. “Hello.” She nearly jumped out of her skin. Just drifting off, too. She craned her neck. He looked nice in a clean Tshirt and jeans. Scratch nice. He looked divine. Not a muscular man but enough to appreciate a nice body when she saw one. And it wasn’t that often. The men of the nearby town were hardly drool material. He held a glass in his hand and sipped. She’d forgotten to get him one. Alex leaned against a post, opposite. He seemed to radiate such an aura of contentment, of a man who had been through the worst life could toss at him, and returned triumphant. “Fantastic, isn’t it?” His gaze turned back to hers, making her heart skip. “I like storms too, you tend to forget about—”Shut up you idiot. After another sip of the water he nodded. “You do, don’t you, forget that is?” Rather than pursue the topic she leaned back again. She swallowed. I can’t risk anyone again. “Great place you have here.” That shook her back to reality. Was he kidding? It needed lots of work. A droplet fell on his nose. He wiped it off and looked upwards. “I can fix the leak if you want.” She thought about it. Why not, if it meant he’d be of her way? “Sure. The shed’s out the back.” After he left, she breathed a sigh of relief. Melinda 10

Sarah Dickson had not realized how tense she’d been. A few minutes later he returned, bemused. “The lock is rusted.” Was he an idiot or something? “Break it.” “It’s your property,” he said, barely hiding his annoyance. With an effort she rose. “Ok. I’ll deal with it, like I deal with everything else around here.” She walked down the corridor to the back of the house. A gasp from his lips made her look to the kitchen. She followed his gaze to the pile of dishes in the sink. A glance of disapproval came and went. She had seen that look so many times with her ex. When did you do this dear; why did you do that dear. Bad luck. This was her place, not his. Melinda glanced at the timber shed barely visible through the rain. She was going to get soaked going out there. “Hey. I didn’t mean to upset you.” Startled she glanced up at him, he was a good head taller, she now bothered to notice. “Upset what? Me? I’m immune to criticism.” “Maybe you are outwardly, but I sense deep inside you are still hurting.” Oh great. He must be a shrink. He laughed, and despite her best efforts to get her back up she couldn’t. Why, she couldn’t fathom. “I’m not a psychiatrist. In fact I used to buy and sell antiques.” For a brief moment she got interested. A pile of antiques was piled high in her shed. Her heart leapt. 11

Distant Souls She could offload them to him, for a price. What was she thinking? That would mean she’d have to deal with him after his truck was fixed. Nope. Better to leave the stuff where it was; it wasn’t like she’d bought it. The former owner had left it behind, too lazy to get rid of it herself. “Whatever. As long as you leave me be.” He winced, and she wished she hadn’t been so mean. “A person cannot be healed unless he or she wants to be,” he said softly. She shrugged, pretending not to be bothered by those words. Don’t talk that way or I might just end listening. He looked at her oddly. A smile briefly came and went. What was he looking satisfied about? “When did you last open the lock?” he asked. Was he being sarcastic? It didn’t appear so. “I don’t recall.” Alex stepped out onto the open verandah at the back of the house. He grimaced. A few drops fell in rapid succession onto the timber floor. Puddles had formed and one was rotten. She waited for him to criticize her. “You got anything I can use?” Surprised, she didn’t react immediately. Did she have anything she could lever a lock open with? The thought began to take its toll on her. What the hell. If he wanted to open the lock he could find an object to do so. She returned to the kitchen and pointed to a tall cupboard next to the door. “There could be 12

Sarah Dickson something in there.” He opened it and a broom fell out, barely missing him. A frown of disapproval briefly crossed his face. With an effort she opened a nearby drawer and found a couple of old screwdrivers. They were there in case she had to pry open a stuck window. She removed a longer one. “Will this work?” His gaze brightened, sending her heart into a flutter. Alex took it. “Perfect.” “You can go and do your worst.” **** Goodness knows why he wanted to help her. Alex could not deny the attraction between them, although she went to great lengths to pretend otherwise. Who was he kidding? He didn’t want to get involved either. Or did he? Rather than ponder in the rain, he dug the screwdriver into one end and twisted the lock. It almost crumbled into his hands. Gripping the edge of the door he lifted it and stepped backwards. Being soaked again within minutes faded into insignificance when he spotted the antiques. Heaven awaited him. There had to be a fortune in here, and she let it simply gather dust. He wandered past a bureau that looked like it needed a good polish, but that was all. Next, he ran his hand over the back of a blackwood chair, one of six. He definitely needed to come to 13

Distant Souls some arrangement. He checked over tables, vases, side-boards and even plates. Most of it required very little restoration. At the back it became too dim to see in the fading daylight, but he’d seen enough. Would she sell them? Some people he’d met on farms were hoarders and never got rid of anything, no matter the price. Rather than consider anything business-wise yet, he would gauge her interest. Secretly, he hoped it would rain for some time. Recalling why he came in here, he searched for and found a tube of silicon on a nearby shelf. The handle of the plunger didn’t appear to work. He checked the tube, solid as a rock. He placed it back. So much for that idea. Aware of the cold biting into him, he returned to the back of the house. She was gone. He took off his T-shirt and jeans in the adjoining bathroom and placed a towel about his waist. He looked around to hang his clothes, but aside from a towel rack, there was nothing. Grabbing his wet clothes from before as well, he searched for the laundry. Maybe she had a dryer. Usually they were outside in these older places. Back outside he spotted a closed door on the rear verandah. Holding the clothes in one hand, he turned the knob. An older looking washing machine confirmed it. He looked for a dryer, nothing. Turning around he saw a clothesline with pegs on it running the length of the back verandah. Funny how he’d missed it 14

Sarah Dickson before. One by one he pegged the clothes to the line. A feeling of being watched made him pause. He turned around. Melinda smiled briefly, holding up a mug. Her hand trembled ever so slightly. “Want some?” “Please. I’ll finish hanging up the rest of my clothes.” As he did so, he smiled. She was interested all right. The question was, was he? True, women had tried and he had rejected them. And he was in pretty good shape, considering what had happened to him. Once he had looked in the mirror and seen a wasted body. No one had believed — not even him — that he would be totally cured. At times he still wondered how it had happened. A miracle the doctor had said, which was saying something. “You want a cup of tea or not?” she asked from the door. It occurred to him he’d been standing the whole time with one remaining T-shirt in his hands. He quickly pegged it to the line. He turned around. Her eyes widened briefly and he saw a flicker of interest as she ran her gaze over his chest. He straightened - silly really. A woman was staring at his naked torso for the first time in three years. Other things began to stir, much to his amazement. She seemed to sense his reaction and quickly backed away. Blimey. He was in a pickle now if she had seen a 15

Distant Souls bulge beneath the towel. He looked down. Nothing obvious. That was a relief. Satisfied her reaction wasn’t due to a burgeoning erection, he considered what to do next. She wasn’t even attractive. Ok, maybe a little, but her whole demeanor screamed — leave me alone — big time. Come on, you hardly know her. There must be a reason she radiates so much negative karma. Perhaps there was. Rather than allow preconceived opinions to cloud his mind, he would make an effort to know her. Since he could hardly stay out here all night, he returned to the house. Alex returned to the bathroom, grabbed a collared shirt and shorts and slipped them on. He grabbed his bag from the bathroom and moved to the bedroom at the front. The negative energy worsened. He cast the veil over his head, quite forgetting he had let it go in the shed. Walls made of timber tongue-and-groove looked like it needed a paint; not so the ceiling, which had intricately ornate pressed metal. The bed appeared as if it had never been used. He bent over and sniffed the floral bedspread, expecting mustiness. To his surprise the bed smelled clean and fresh. He placed his bag on a nearby chair, an antique from the look of it. He glanced out of the curtainless window. Rain ran over the glass. Miranda, for all her slovenly ways, did keep her house clean and tidy. Wiping a trickle of sweat from his brow, he turned on the overhead fan to cool the room. He left the room and found Miranda in the front 16

Sarah Dickson room. Both windows were open, allowing a breeze to flow through. The negative energy struck him like a fist. He upped the shield. Whew, that was better. Melinda sat listless, with a cup of tea in her hand. “May I?” indicating a chair near the window. Her gaze shifted uneasily towards him then away again. “Sure.” “The silicon has hardened.” She shrugged. “Thought it might have. Tube’s been there for years.” “So why did you-”Forget it, its not important. Briefly the darkness around her faded. When it returned it didn’t seem as strong. Could it be his presence doing it? Her gaze remained fixed on the cup. How could he get her to open up to him? Then he had it. The antiques might not be a bad way to start after all. **** Melinda could not believe how she reacted to him. Sure, she hadn’t had a man since the separation, having no interest at all in the species. Even when she shopped she didn’t care too much about her appearance. Scruffy hair plus old clothes had given her the name hermit. It was true enough, too. She really didn’t like people, they tended to betray you if they got too close. “Melinda.” She looked up, wondering what he was doing here. 17

Distant Souls Oh yeah. His truck had broken down. “You want a cup of tea?” “No. Since I’m stuck here for the time being, I’d like to find out more about the antiques in your shed.” “Like what?” “I’m an antique dealer, and naturally I’m interested. You have some amazing things in there.” She was about to say they were there when she bought the place, but he might try to screw her down on price. She mused at how some of her old habits kicked into automatic. “What about them?” “You interested in selling?” Melinda placed the cup of tea on a nearby table. If she was, he’d hang around. Nope, best to refuse. “Not interested.” Frowning, he clasped his hands together. Nice hands they were too, long fingers. She drew her gaze up sharply to his face. What was she thinking? The last thing she needed was involvement. What a pity this rain wasn’t going away anytime soon. “What if I itemize each piece and give you a price. You might change your mind. It could be tens of thousands.” Shit. That much. She began to reconsider. The cash could come in handy someday. He smiled at her, probably thinking he had convinced her at last. Her gaze lingered on those lips a little longer. She imagined him kissing her. Damn. What was she doing having these thoughts? “Hello?” 18

Sarah Dickson Quick. Think of any question at all. “Where did you come from?” He stared at her, baffled. “What?” She repeated the question. “Um.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Sydney. Why?” Good. Great distraction in fact. “Been traveling long?” “Three years.” She did a double take. “Did you say three years? What did you do?” His amber eyes fixed on her. She imagined he was seeing right through her. She shivered at being studied so intently. “I thought we were talking about me buying your furniture.” Oh he had, had he? “I get a bit distracted sometimes. You were saying?” He leaned back, perplexed. “Are you teasing me?” Melinda frowned. “Why would I tease you? I hardly know you.” It sounded insincere even to her. “I thought the shift in topic was to steer me clear of my questions regarding your antiques.” “Oh the antiques, can’t we talk about them later?” She glanced at the half-empty cup of tea. Probably cold by now. She grabbed it anyway and sipped. Cold all right but she didn’t care. It was less effort than putting the kettle back on. Abruptly he rose. “I might go for a walk.” “Out in that?” indicating the rain that seemed to have grown heavier. “I’m obviously not welcome here.” 19

Distant Souls “Hey. I didn’t say that. I don’t get to talk to many people so I’m a bit, you know, quiet.” Why was she bothering for heavens sake? Alex resumed his seat. “Sorry. I’m being a bit tetchy as well. It just that I had this feeling my truck broke down for a reason. Maybe I’m reading too much into it.” Was he kidding? “Like the lines of fate. I can tell you a lot about fate. It’s designed to make your life freaking miserable and when you finally get to a state where it’s not too bad, someone or something comes along to stuff it all up.” He winced. “You’re saying I’m messing up your ordered life.” “I would have thought it obvious.” She expected him to retort, but he leaned forward instead. “Why did my truck break down right in front of your driveway?” It looked like he really wanted to discuss this fate business. “You sure you’re not a shrink?” “It’s a bit stranger than that.” Since he was going to talk she’d let him. How many others had she met who prattled on about their life’s woes. Never worked the other way though. Once they bared their souls they left her. In a way it was like sex, they had all the fun while she simply ended up on the ride. “Go on.” “I used to be an antique dealer but I no longer have a business.” Was he stupid or what? “What’s the point in making an offer?” 20

Sarah Dickson “I’d have purchased them to restore, then I’d sell them. It would be a hobby of mine plus a way to earn some money as I went.” “Money isn’t too important to you?” “Not really. I’d rather do something I love.” An overwhelming need to tell him about her love for her art took her. “I used to be in advertising before—”She shut up. She didn’t want to go into the baring soul stuff, yet something about him made her want to tell him everything. A satisfied smile formed on his lips. “Your aura is definitely changing for the better.” She looked at her hands as if to find something there. Ridiculous of course. No one can see an aura. “You believe in them don’t you?” He seemed serious. Karma, fate and other crap, sure. If she read a horoscope and it had bad news, it happened. Never the good stuff, mind. As for auras? She shrugged. Did it matter in the greater scheme of things? After all, nothing good ever lasts. “Perhaps.” His eyes widened in delight. “There. I saw a bit of gold.” She looked around, half expecting it to appear on her body. “Melinda, you have so much goodness inside you. If only you would let it out.” When had she heard that particular line before? Her ex boss encouraging her to produce her best work so he could turn around and steal them as his own. 21

Distant Souls “You’re going dark again.” He really could read her mood swings. She shivered. This was too freaky. “I’m not meaning to pry. You don’t have to tell me anything.” She couldn’t work him out. Maybe it was about time she did. If nothing else it could be a good way to pass the time. “Alex. What are you really?” “You mean a dealer. I am… or I was. In recent times since my… accident, I found I have another gift.” “Psychic shrink,” she said, guessing. Warmth radiated from him, making her feel comfortable. “It’s a pretty close answer.” Despite her resistance to the idea, she admitted to being a little intrigued. “So what happened?” “I ended up with a tumor in the brain which was inoperative and incurable. I ended up on death’s door and then I saw this light.” His gaze turned to merriment. “I can tell what you are thinking. You don’t quite believe me, but a little part would like to.” The way his face lit up made her stomach do a flip flop. The last time she had felt anything similar was when she had met her ex. And look where that got you. “You don’t have to believe me, as long as you are prepared to keep an open mind.” “I will.” Relieved he hadn’t noticed her reaction. “As a result, I can see auras, plus I sense good and bad energy in buildings.” He lost her then. Melinda hoped she wasn’t 22

Sarah Dickson showing the go ahead and continue to amuse me look. It appeared she had. “I’ve overstepped the mark. “No matter. I’ll convince you yet.”

**** Idiot, what did I say that for? Any headway he’d made with her had ended up out the window. He watched her cross her arms, bemused. “Exactly how, and for that reason, why, should I be convinced?” A compelling need to cleanse her house of the negative energy overcame him. He countered it. He didn’t have the strength to do so yet, not when her aura was so dark. He turned towards the window and watched the darkening sky. Lightning flashed thought the trees, followed by another rumble. This storm looked like it would settle in for some time to come. “Look, Alex, I think you had a great experience and you feel compelled somehow to help others. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the offer. I really don’t need your aid.” To the point and all. Rather then pressure her he’d leave it for now. Another crack of lightning made his head spin. With the negative energy in the room, the storm began to mess with his shield. He cupped his throbbing head in his hands. He had to get out of this room. “You ok? Sheez. I didn’t think you’d react like 23

Distant Souls that.” “It’s ok. Sometimes the energy from a storm can do this to me,” he lied. She didn’t look quite so disbelieving this time. A hint of red flickered over her aura. Her anxiety, she believed to be hidden, wasn’t directed towards him. She didn’t want to deal with him if he fainted. Her aura changed again, a hint of pink from near her chest. She wasn’t so uncaring after all, but fought against her feelings for him. Slowly he stood. “I need to go outside.” The throbbing abated, and to his relief so did the negative energy. He sat on one of the old sofas. Melinda followed him outside and the energy increased a little. “Want anything?” He needed to be alone but didn’t want to appear rude. It was her house after all. “No.” She seemed undecided whether to stay or go. He patted the other sofa beside him. “Please, sit.” “I might later. I need to cook some dinner.” Food was the last thing on his mind. “I’ll pass.” “Hey, I can cook.” Pleased her aura flickered orange; it meant she had confidence in her cooking at least. “All right.” She smiled. “Good.” After she had gone, the weakness abated. A good sleep was what he needed, preferably in a cleansed room. Later he would, after he’d gathered more energy from the storm. He leaned back and closed his eyes. Another crack of lightning forced his eyes open. A groan followed. With such heavy rain it was hard to 24

Sarah Dickson see where. A dark shadow came closer and closer, thudding to the ground a few feet from him. It had just missed the roof. He heard footsteps. Melinda looked out to the gloom beyond. “That… was a bit too close.” She really did sound worried. Then it passed, much to his dismay. “It’s a tree I hadn’t got around to getting cut. Looks like I won’t have to now.” He couldn’t believe the swings in her. One moment worried, then the next, indifferent. “It missed you,” she said defensively. Barely controlling his anger, he said through clenched teeth. “Just. Have another look.” She peered beyond the path and he saw her swallow. A sense of shame overwhelmed her; he could tell by her aura. He didn’t like her so upset, but it was preferable to the indifference he’d experienced a moment ago. “I don’t get many people here so I don’t have to look out for them.” She shrugged. “If I ended up dead under the branch then it wouldn’t matter.” Self-pity he could sense a mile off. He’d been down the path when told his tumor was incurable. He closed the gap between them and reached for her, why he didn’t know. Barely touching her cheek, the equivalent of an electric shock tore straight up his arm and down to his groin. Colors flowed from her aura, rippled over his hand and into her body. The energy felt electric and exhilarating at the same time. 25

Distant Souls He snatched his hand away and the colors faded. How can that be? Melinda looked as shocked at him. “What happened?” Alex had projected his energy into her, cleansing her. He had not expected a touch to ignite the change. How amazing. “I cleansed you, well, not all of you but it’s a start.” “What, by touching me?” Hands on hips she added. “What colors do I show now?” she asked smugly. She pretended one thing but really fought another—hope. Such conflicting emotions were a wonder to behold. “You are slowly being freed.” “I forgot you were a sort of shrink.” Her words weren’t so harsh this time. “You are reconnecting with your inner self.” “Oh come on,” she said, “You really are making a leap.” Deny it as much as she might, her aura indicated an internal struggle definitely taking place. He wanted her to improve, and fast. Her lips looked pretty inviting to him. He leaned forward. Her eyelashes fluttered. She parted her lips slightly. Something snapped and she backed away. “What are you doing?” The blackness returned but not as thickly as before. “You’ve closed yourself to me.” She rose to her feet. “I’m hungry, even if you’re not.” He smiled at her receding back. Melinda was 26

Sarah Dickson making progress, whether she wanted to admit it or not. **** Melinda busied herself in the kitchen. She had almost let him kiss her and stopped herself in time. She would have to make sure she didn’t weaken again. Looking at the sink, she had to admit she wanted to kiss him, and more. Her nipples peaked as she imagined his lips suckling each nub. Enough. She searched for something to eat. The food in the fridge didn’t look promising. Simple fare at best and being alone so long, her range was somewhat limited. Her larder suddenly looked boring. The vegetables were a bit tired and the milk wasn’t so crash hot either. One whiff from the spout and she poured the remainder down the sink. She shrugged. Too late now. Besides, Alex had said he wasn’t hungry Maybe she should try the garden. The vegetable patch, while a bit overgrown, usually had some food growing in it. Grabbing an umbrella she went out the back, passing the line of washing as she did so. She checked a shirt. It was damp, and certainly wouldn’t dry tonight. A sense of contentment washed over her. She did feel better since Alex had arrived, and whether it was his karma mumbo jumbo or simply having a man about, she didn’t really care. Weird, considering she 27

Distant Souls preferred to be on her own. Or did she? Maybe it was time to face up to reality. The tree for one had been rotten for a year. It was only a matter of time before the branches began to fall. Other parts of her garden did need a going over as well. A wave of exhaustion came over her as she contemplated all the tasks she had to do. Overwhelmed, she leaned against the post. Not all the chores needed to be done right away. I’m getting worked up over nothing. She opened the umbrella, and made her way to behind the shed. Mud gripped her sandals and she felt a squishy sensation. Should have worn gumboots. No matter, she’d take the sandals off later. She paused. What was that? A strange ripple of energy raced over her exposed hands, lingering on her face, before fading away. Nah. She was allowing her mind to think Alex might be onto something with the energy business. A few tomatoes appeared to be ready to eat so she picked them with her free hand. She found some greens as well. One tomato fell to the ground. Oops, she had forgotten to bring a bag. Rather than go back she grabbed her top and lifted up the bottom so it formed a scoop. After placing the vegetables in, she walked back. Placing the umbrella open on the verandah, she removed the sandals now full of mud, and kicked them to one side. Barefoot, she made her way back to the kitchen 28

Sarah Dickson and placed the food on the chopping board. Opening the cupboard, she found a packet of pasta. After boiling the noodles, she strained them in a colander and added them to the cooked vegetables in the frying pan. Melinda sat at the table and was about to eat out of the frying pan, when it occurred to her Alex might want some after all. She’d cooked more than she needed anyway. After placing half on a plate she quickly tasted the remainder from the frying pan. She made a face. It did taste bland. Having someone else around meant one had to lift one’s standards. It’s only a day or two till the mechanic gets out here. Still it did taste bland. She rummaged through the shelves of the cupboard and came up with a packet of curry, six months out of date. She tossed it in the bin. When had she last cleaned out the cupboard? Six months ago. A year. Melinda really couldn’t recall. Any urge to continue cleaning dissipated rapidly on the next breath. Dinner was getting cold. She had just finished eating her part from the frying pan when footsteps made her look up. Thank goodness he hadn’t come sooner. “It’s not too interesting, but there’s some left.”She indicated the plate. Alex walked over, took one look and made a face. He stepped back. “I have something in the truck which will do the trick. I’ll not be long.”He returned with the open umbrella and made his way to the front. At least he hadn’t rejected the food outright. 29

Distant Souls She crossed her arms. Ok. It did look boring. What the dish needed was some meat. Did she have any in the fridge? She opened the freezer part - ice, and loads of it. Damn, she’d need to defrost it at some stage. She heard a door slam. Alex returned with a can of spiced sauce and one containing meat. “You have another pan?” She pointed to a large drawer under the stove. “In there.” He removed the frying pan, and after opening both cans poured them in. After stirring for a minute, he said. “Bring the plate over.” It took her a moment to realize he meant the food she had put aside for him. She took it over and tipping the plate, the food slid in. He stirred a bit more. “There, that should do it.” Frying pan in hand, he made his way to the table. It smelled better than it looked, just. “Try it.” She stuck her finger in and removed a tiny bit. “Ouch,” she muttered. Grabbing a spoon she scooped a morsel out. She popped the food quickly in her mouth. Like a stew. Not bad, at all. “Months of traveling takes the fussiness out of cooking.” “I don’t know. I still like a terrific cooked meal from time to time.” He pulled out a chair and sat opposite. “When did you go out last?” “Before we separated, my ex and I went out a lot. We loved going to different restaurants to try them 30

Sarah Dickson out. And you.” He swallowed another mouthful. “In my travels around the country the best times were at campsites where I joined up with other travelers. We shared food as well as company.” She had traveled, but not like he had. Her trips had been to London and other major cities. Those days she earned and spent big. “I’ve not been out much since we separated. It’s not much fun going out on your own.” He leaned back. “I’ll be glad to get back home. I’m tired of living in a caravan.” The truck appeared to be all he had. “Where is it?” “I sold it a month ago once I decided to head back home. The canopy in the back of the truck is ok but to be honest, I’d like a decent roof over my head again.” He ate a couple of more mouthfuls. She rested her chin on her hands. The way his tongue ran over his lower lip made her nipples harden, as she imagined it licking something else. He glanced back up at her. “It’ll be hard to return to a normal life again.” She crossed her arms to hide how he affected her. “In what way?” “Routine for one thing. If I tired of a place I went to, I left. If I liked it I stayed longer.” Not her scene at all. “I don’t quite have the inclination to walk away from everything for so long.” The beginning of a smile tipped the corners of his mouth. “I haven’t totally walked away. I sold the business but kept my home in Sydney. It’s important 31

Distant Souls to have some kind of shelter in your life.” She looked up towards the roof as if to find a hole there. She’d not been so thoughtful with her home. A sense of shame threatened to creep up on her. Years of neglect were catching up with her, and the reminder had come in the form of Alex. “How long have you lived here?” "About five years.” His surprised look made her feel even guiltier. “What condition was the house in when you purchased it?” She uncrossed her arms. Any desire that lingered was dashed with his last comment. She wiped her hands nervously down her thighs. “Reasonable, not perfect, but reasonable.” “And the garden?” Embarrassed, Melinda focused on the table. “It wasn’t too bad then.” His fingers danced on the table and for a brief moment she imagined them playing over her body. The brazen thought both aroused and shocked her. Keeping her gaze averted she grabbed her fork. At least it kept her from looking at those wonderful fingers. “When I walked back from collecting my food I notice you have at least three trees that need removing, plus you have a lot of dead wood lying about. It could be a fire hazard.” She looked back at his face. “No more dangerous than the forest out back.” He raised his hands in a placating gesture. “Hey. It was a comment, not a condemnation.” 32

Sarah Dickson Maybe she was overacting, but the way he looked at her was as if she was being assessed. “How big is your property?” Fine. That kind of question she could deal with. “About forty acres, pretty well all bush. The previous owner wasn’t into land clearing nor am I. I quite like the bush.” “It does need some cleaning up,”he reiterated. She flashed a look of leave it be at him, and hoped he got the hint. He pushed the chair back. “Sorry. Not my business.” “No it’s not, particularly since you’ll be gone in a couple of days.” Standing, he glanced out of the opened back door. “It seems to have stopped raining for now. I might go and see what the damage to my truck is.” Melinda banged her fist against the table after he left. How dare he dictate how she should live her life. In fact, he’d been dictating to her since he arrived. Maybe she should get him to do an evaluation of the antiques. It would keep him occupied for a while. She would suggest it once he returned. **** No one exasperated him as she did. How could anyone live in such neglect? The darkness and passing storm gave the garden a brooding look. Their auras looked fractured, from the neglect no doubt. The large tree, blackened from where lightning had struck, looked a smoldering ruin. 33

Distant Souls Its aura was almost gone. The tree stood no chance of recovery now. His thoughts returned to Melinda. Part of him believed that beneath the slothful exterior was a woman who held vibrancy and life. He had initially believed it to be fate that drew him here. If that was the case, Melinda presented a challenge in more ways than one. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t worth the effort. Maybe for once, fate could shove it. He opened the door on the driver’s side and pulled the lever to open the bonnet. Moving to the front of the truck he noticed the branch was a fair way off after all. The rain had made it appear closer. After grabbing a torch from the glove box, he lifted the bonnet. He ran the beam over the engine area, checking all the belts. All were still there. He squeezed the radiator hose. It felt rubbery. No surprises there. After checking the water and oil levels, he scratched his head. They were normal too. It meant the radiator leak was not as bad as he feared. Had he imagined the steam from beneath the bonnet after all? Nope. Alex never erred when it came to things like that. He could check underneath, but with the wet ground it would be impossible to tell. May as well give it a shot. He slid in the key and turned. The engine came to life. He reversed, turned the truck towards the drive and drove in. Suspicious, he turned off the ignition. Why not leave now? As tempting as that option was, he really had to 34

Sarah Dickson recheck everything in daylight. And then what? He’d worry about that tomorrow. Then again, it wasn’t all bad. She had shown interest in selling the antiques. Maybe, if she didn’t mind, he could occupy himself in the shed. He’d be out of her way and she out of his. Satisfied, he closed the door. On the way back, a flicker of light to his left made him pause. It came from the tree. White radiated around its trunk, sputtered and died. The other trees nearby rippled like ghosts in the still air. Alex had seen nothing like it, yet the pain was unmistakable. He reached out to one of the smaller trees; a branch had broken off. Once he had been to a bonsai display and had to leave due to the pain radiating from the trees. This felt the same but on a larger scale. Lightning flickered between the trees. Not another storm. He quickly made his way back to the house just as the wind gusted up. Melinda waited at the door. “I heard a noise like a car. I thought someone was coming up the drive.”She looked past him. “It must have been my imagination.” She hadn’t spotted his truck then. Ferrying her inside, he was acutely aware of the heat flaring off his hand at the contact. Removing his hand, he closed the wire-mesh door. “Looks like another storm.” Melinda shrugged as of trying to remove a cobweb. “You want some tea?” “Yes please.” 35

Distant Souls The negative energy from her had reduced dramatically. He took it as a good sign. Back in the kitchen, Melinda looked up from the cups before her. “I’ve been thinking about this energy you speak of. I felt … things when I moved into this property.” Encouraged, he nodded for her to continue. She returned to the table. “I was pretty miserable when I came here. Initially I had a feeling the place was comforting me. I thought it was stupid, and after a while I didn’t care.” “Some places have good energy. When a person arrives who has had an unpleasant experience, that balance can be disrupted.” He expected her to smirk but she didn’t. “Go on.” “In your case, you’ve lost the need to care about yourself.” Her aura flickered light blue before fading again. She was slowly emerging from her darkness. He wasn’t going to mess up his chance this time. “Being on my own for three years had made me think of myself more than others. I’m not as tactful as I should be.” “It’s not surprising why. When you have yourself only, you tend not to care about others. I…”she averted her gaze, “haven’t been.” The noise of the kettle made her look up. “I’ll get it, “Alex said, and crashed into her. He caught her around the waist. Her eyes gazed up into his, widened then narrowed again. Her hands rested on his shoulders in what appeared to be an attempt to shove him aside. Instead she slowly 36

Sarah Dickson relaxed in his embrace. As tempting as it was to taste those lips, he released her. Eyes partly lidded she snapped them open. “Sorry.” “I thought you were going to fall.” Her face slightly flushed, she placed her hand on her chest. “You ok?” “Oh yes. A bit of a surprise, that’s all.” The kettle screamed. Melinda reached it first, returning the kitchen to blessed silence. Another rumble of thunder made them both look outside. The air in the room suddenly became charged. “Looks like this weather’s going to stay the night,” she said, pouring water into two mugs. The humidity increased dramatically. “It’s going to be a bit of a stinker tonight,” Melinda said. “You have an air-conditioner?” “Whatever for?” “Good. I don’t fancy them either. Nothing beats feeling nature at its most dramatic.” “Bit poetic, aren’t you?” and handed the mug to him. **** He seemed taken aback by her comment. Melinda wasn’t sure why he should be. “It was a compliment.” Alex stood at the back door. “I usually mutter such things to myself.” 37

Distant Souls “I wasn’t teasing you.” His gaze fell to her face, making her cheeks warm. He had such lovely trusting eyes. She recalled when he wore a towel only, and her cheeks felt even warmer. “Come and look Melinda. What do you feel?” Like my life has some meaning again. She could hardly tell him that. “Like the garden is alive.” “Really.” “You think since I’ve been doing precious little that I don’t feel my surroundings.” “Er… no. Not by the state of your garden.” She wanted to retort and would have, had he not been right. Her garden desperately needed tending, but she had not been motivated to do so. Any reason to put off what needed to be done today, till tomorrow, was preferable to any semblance to what her old life was. To care and be motivated meant a whole raft of wounds would be re-opened. To remain numb meant she could screen herself from being exposed to external influences. Alex had entered her world and threatened to invade it. His quizzing gaze indicated he waited for her to say something, anything. Rather than admit how he affected her, she walked out onto the back verandah. The energy embraced her before releasing her again. When had she last felt like this? Never. “See. You’re beginning to awaken.” Melinda refused to look at him. Did she want to 38

Sarah Dickson guess what those eyes could be like right now? “Take another step out.” It looked about to rain, and she hesitated. “What if you do get wet?” All the images of babes in wet clothes came to her. She was not a pretty sight. “I’ll stay where I am if you—” Gentle hands shoved her into the garden. Another current of energy caught her. Unlike the other which felt like a loving embrace, this one felt like a vice. She couldn’t move. “What are you doing to me?” she protested. Alex moved around to meet her gaze. “I have done nothing, well, maybe a little. What you need to do is let go, and feel what you felt before.” This is ridiculous. “Let what go?” “Your walls.” Damn psycho as far as she was concerned. “Let’s get this straight. I’m fine just as I am.” “Are you really?” His expression seemed sad. Of course she wasn’t. She was stuck in impending rain with some nutcase who seemed fixated on releasing her. Besides he was too much male for her. His closeness in this energy sent her nipples to hardened peaks. Alex backed away. “There, is that better?” Sheez. Had she been that obvious? “Let it go,” he said more gently. Ok. If it meant he’d let her go, she’d do it. If only she knew how. “Focus on the tree over there and empty your thoughts.” 39

Distant Souls Like she’d done in yoga class. She let the worry about getting wet go, followed by the proposed plan to sell her antiques. That left him, Alex. As if he sensed her unease, he took another step back. Feeling more at ease, she could move her arm a little. Some resistance lingered so she kept her gaze fixed on the tree. Her leg moved and she took a step forward. The resistance began to fade. Oddly, she didn’t feel scared. Comfortable, safe, in fact. He closed the gap between them. Another step and he’d be able to kiss her. He paused. “How do you feel?” The notion of being kissed fled. What was she thinking? She took a step backwards to widen the space between them again. Droplets of rain began to fall on her face. “Better.” More so when I get back inside. She turned around, and the resistance returned. This time, his hands gripped her shoulders. “Not yet.” His breath sent the hairs on her neck on end. She wanted nothing more than to lean into him and feel his body against hers. It had been years since she had any sex, good or otherwise. The grip eased and he nudged her forward. She got back to the verandah and turned around. Alex didn’t move. She scanned the washing line, full of his clothes. Surely he didn’t want to ruin any more. “Get in here or you’ll catch a chill.” 40

Sarah Dickson “It’s not cold.” Melinda stuck her hand out. He was right, it wasn’t. Her clothes were damp already, so why not go out again. Yet she hesitated. Without warning Alex dashed to the verandah, gripped her hand and forced her to spin out after him. Water ran over her face, and soon her T-shirt was dripping. He released her. “I’m not after anything you don’t want.” “Who said anything about me wanting-”Oh my, what did I nearly say? Hands on hips he watched, bemused, as she decided what to do. Her initial reaction was to go back, but she didn’t. Whatever it was, him, the cleansing rain, or both, she felt reluctant to leave. A loud crash caused her to yelp. For a moment she thought it was the storm. Alex dashed towards the driveway and out of view. She followed, barely able to keep up with him. Running wasn’t a form of exercise she had undertaken since leaving her ex. Breathlessly, she reached his truck. It could not be possible. If she had not seen the tree resting on the bonnet with her own eyes she wouldn’t have believed what she had seen. Fate, it seemed was not going to let him go. What a minute. The truck wasn’t there before. Which meant he lied about engine trouble. “That will teach you,” she blurted. His dazed expression made her regret her outburst. “How the hell did the tree fall here?” He raised his 41

Distant Souls hands in a gesture of anger to the sky, then lowered them again. “Fine. I’m not going to get mad.” Perplexed and yet a little intrigued she checked the remainder of the stricken tree. It didn’t look like it would have fallen in that angle. It should have fallen onto her house. How weird. Not one for the nuances of fate, she reassessed her thoughts. A sensation she had long forgotten threatened to resurface. A chuckle escaped her lips. Alex glared at her. It didn’t help at all. In fact it made things worse. She placed her hand over her mouth to stop herself, but it was impossible. Her stomach contracted as the first cough came out. She followed it with another chuckle. Rubbing his hand through his hair, he leaned against the truck. “I’m really stuffed now.” Melinda hadn’t heard that word in such a long time either. Up the proverbial creek he was. It made her laugh even harder. Alex smiled. Oh my, she wished he didn’t look at her like that. Men were more trouble than they were worth. He dashed past her, back to the house. Melinda took her time getting back. Soaked, her clothes felt like a wet sack. Back on the verandah she could not get them off quickly enough. Her top followed. “Nice.”Alex returned to the verandah. In bra and panties, she stood, horrified. On her own she hadn’t thought twice of shedding her clothes after being caught in the rain. 42

Sarah Dickson “Come on Melinda. It’s more practical than getting the inside of the house wet.” Before she could do anything, like run, he went inside. Thank goodness. She dashed to her room, and after removing her underwear, changed into another sloppy pants and a T-shirt. Passing the mirror she paused. Normally she didn’t care about her looks, and the mirror was no more than part of the furniture. She hadn’t bothered to remove it. Now she looked hard. Her hair was saturated and water dripped into her T-shirt. Her clothes looked like a sack, and her pants had holes in them. Just as her other clothes had been. There is a woman beneath waiting to get out. In this case she was pretty well hidden, whoever she was. Turning from one side to another all she saw was excess flab, messy hair and a face caught in a permanent expression of a frown. Whatever Alex saw in her, baffled her. Maybe he was only interested in reaching her inner self. Even as she thought it she cringed. The whole inner thing in general sounded like nonsense to her. Straightening, she firmed her resolve. He had to go, and the sooner the better. With pelting rain outside plus a wrecked truck? Even if he could drive, it was too dangerous to do so. The roads could be slippery in this weather. Nope. He was here to stay at least for another day, and there was nothing she could do about it. Unless. 43

Distant Souls She would stick to her original plan. He could begin by itemizing the antiques. She searched for a notepad and found one in a nearby drawer. Grabbing a pen, she left the room. **** Alex wished he’d caught her in her arms rather than walked off. Her laughter brought such brightness to her face he hadn’t even needed to read her aura. The pink wisps weren’t hard to miss, nor was the lessening of the darker tones. Aside from the occasional need to be satisfied, he’d not felt such a stirring in years. He didn’t care about her weight, or her shabbiness. The woman within was what he wanted. Wanted? Why had that particular need entered his mind? Desire, possibly, but it was more than that. Melinda wasn’t the kind to use as a casual fling and later discard. The original intention of getting her to free herself before had been no more than a simple exercise of holding her trapped and seeing what she did. He had done it before with people who were proving to be a nuisance. It had proved effective in getting out of more than one scrape during his travels. With her it had been different. Holding her again had cleansed her aura further. Now she could laugh again. What to do now? The negative karma of the house had reduced 44

Sarah Dickson dramatically, but he also knew it wouldn’t be permanent. Melinda was nowhere near being freed of her slothful nature. A week and his good work would be gone. He had to think of a way to stay longer. “Oh, hi.” Alex wondered why she carried a notebook and pen. “I’d like you to list all the antiques you want to buy, with a price.” Was she kidding? “Give me those.” She pointed to the wet clothes in his hand. He gave them to her and she shoved the notepad in his hand. It appeared she wasn’t kidding. “Now?” She handed him the pencil as well. “If you aren’t tired, sure. If you are, then start in the morning. I need to hang these out.” The matter-of-fact tone conflicted with her aura. Light brown indicated her lack of confidence while the blue smacked at dissatisfaction with her decision. Hope filled him. She did want him but was too scared to risk it. She hugged the clothes close to her body. The light flush on her cheeks briefly gave her away. As if aware of her reaction, she ducked past him to the kitchen. He felt for his wallet and realized he’d left it in his wet pants. “Melinda.” She slipped out the back door. The rain ceased again, rendering the outside silent. Almost too quiet, as if nature itself was contemplating its next move. So far it had done a good job to keep 45

Distant Souls him here. She looked back at him. “What?” A thunk made him look to the floor. He bent over to pick it up. Melinda knelt to do the same. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. Grabbing the wallet he slipped it into his pocket, not taking his gaze off her. Her lips parted as her gaze rose to meet his. Easing the clothes from her, he let them fall to the ground. He then leaned over and brushed her lips with his mouth. A low whimper came from her throat and her lashes fluttered closed. She opened them again. Alex eased her lips apart with his tongue. She tasted of tea and aroused woman. Careful not to cause her any reason to break the kiss, he gripped her waist. She was a tad overweight, certainly not the excess she believed herself to be. The palm of her hands slid up his chest and he expected she might push him away. She didn’t. He felt her tense then ease into the kiss. As for his own feelings, a deep ache for the first time in years could possibly be relieved at last. The feeling came so unexpectedly he released her. Flushed and breathless, Melinda took a step backwards. “I don’t think that was a good idea.” “Why not?” “You’ll be gone soon.” “Not if you don’t want me to.” She looked as surprised as he. “I... think you should get onto the antiques.” Cursing himself, he grabbed the notebook and 46

Sarah Dickson walked to the shed. The door creaked behind him. He flipped on the light and leaned against the nearest table. What had possessed him to kiss her, then offer to stay? He must appear as a freeloader to her. Shaking the feeling aside, he got to work. The cataloguing helped him for a while, but he kept thinking of what could have been. It sounded strange to him… thinking of staying, yet to leave would be folly. Fate, and he was a big believer in events, appeared to be lending him a hand. Perhaps a bit too overly helpful, but now it seemed the rest was going be up to him. For now he’d catalog until he became too exhausted to continue. After three pages he yawned. That was it. No longer could he avoid returning to the house. Hopefully she would be well and truly asleep by now. **** Normally sleep came easily to her. Normally it gave her release to her dreams where she could imagine herself to be anyone but who she was. Melinda had never ended up as an advertising executive, but rather as a maid, or a rich lady, anything that didn’t match up to reality. Tonight she could not sleep, and after a couple of hours gave up and got out of bed again. A shuffle in the front bedroom made her pause. Alex was still awake. Rather than disturb him she 47

Distant Souls waited for the sounds to subside. When she was sure he’d fallen asleep, she peered in. A faint light glowed around his face. She blinked. Was it possible she was looking at his aura? No way. She blinked again and it was gone. Her mind willed her body to back out, but it wasn’t listening. The kiss returned with such clarity that she felt a brief pang of sadness. Melinda quashed it. She couldn’t become attached to anyone again. The problem was—her body would enjoy being beneath Alex’s, being pleasured senseless. With too many men using her in the past, she could not afford to let that happen. Yet Alex didn’t come over as the kind to take advantage of another. Did she want to risk having him around? Shocked she was even contemplating the suggestion, Melinda tiptoed out of the room. She needed a cup of tea to sort out her addled mind. I’m tired that’s all. Melinda spotted the notebook on the kitchen table and picked it up. The list was impressive. Did she own that many items? Since she’d bought the place she hadn’t even ventured into the shed, save near the front to store a few items. Now looked a good time to go and see what she did have in there. With a sense of purpose she padded out over the grass to the shed and opened the door. The sky appeared cloudy, but no rain at the moment, so she didn’t need an umbrella. Turning on the light in the shed, she nearly gasped at how much she had. A small fortune if some of the 48

Sarah Dickson figures Alex had written were anything to go by. Gingerly she made her way past the bureaus, larger tables and chairs to smaller items. Looking back she suspected Alex had not covered half of what was in here. Money had never driven her either, ok maybe in the past, but not in recent times. The possibilities of what she could do struck her for the first time in years. For a start, she could have the place fixed up; secondly, a holiday. She had not been away for years, not feeling the need to. She thought of what Alex had said about karma. Until he arrived she had not considered her future beyond one day to the next. Had this sudden motivation been all his doing? It had to be. Her fingers ran over a small marble statue of a naked woman whose eyes were closed and her face serene, oblivious to what was around her. Had she been living like that? How many years had she been alone? Five? It had passed in a blur and until Alex had come along, it would have continued that way. A little of her felt sad that the cocoon she had hidden in was breaking at last. It had to be for the best. Didn’t it? A shuffle turned her around. Alex stood at the door. “Oh it’s you. I thought it might have been—" She removed her hand from the statue. “A burglar. Hardly. No one comes here.” A worried frown creased his forehead. “You never 49

Distant Souls know.” Was he concerned? Surely not. No one gave a toss about her, not her ex or her boss or anyone else as far as she could recall. Her family had even deserted her. Only because you gave up speaking to them. Granted, she had, only because she needed to be alone. Warm breath made her neck tickle. He was close, too close. She turned around and her breasts brushed his chest. “I’m fine.” His gaze fixed on her. “You look good too. Like a burden has been lifted from you.” He leaned over and picked up the statue. “An interesting piece. I feel a sense of peace when I look at it.” Melinda was more fixated in his closeness. His lips barely missed her forehead as he straightened. His hand slid across her waist. She leaned into him, aware of her core throbbing in a way she had all but forgotten. Another firm part of Alex pressed against her thigh indicating he was very interested in her. He drew her lips to his. Soft and yielding she let out a soft whimper. Was it him, or the fact she had been dry for five years. Not even a kiss to remind her of what she’d been missing. Until now. Molding her body into his she ran her hands over his hips. He felt so good. His tongue slid into her mouth and she tasted toothpaste. A sharp intake of breath later she ventured into his mouth. When had she last felt so aroused? Fighting the urge to rush this she fought her 50

Sarah Dickson heartbeat to slow. Or tried to. He released her, concern on his face. “You ok?” “Yes,” she said in a hoarse whisper. He moved her so her back was against a nearby table. She glanced behind. There was just enough room for her to lie back so he could— Was he going to... here? The thought thrilled and scared her. Melinda wasn’t into anything outside of the bed. Before she thought of a reason to refuse, she cupped his chin and drew his lips back to hers. She felt herself being eased backwards until wood touched her back. Her legs widened as he slid in between hers. A few items of clothing were the only barrier and Alex didn’t appear to be in a hurry. She squirmed as she felt herself flooding down there. Words like precaution briefly registered in her mind before she was swept in the fierceness of his kiss. He slid his lips down to her ear and nibbled on her lobe. She felt a hand at the waistband of her pants. Another heartbeat later his finger touched her clit. Did she want this? She whispered. “It’s too soon.” He raised his head but continued to tease her throbbing mound. “If you want me to make you come then I will. I’ll promise to do no more.” Was he kidding? No man ever simply pleased her and didn’t want anything in return. Her ex hadn’t. She gasped as his finger slid between her folds. Slowly he teased along the length of each, making her writhe beneath him. 51

Distant Souls “I’ll take that as a yes?” She nodded, allowing the sensations to wash over her. Melinda really did want him. “Please.” With one finger he continued to tease the entrance of her vagina while another gently swept over her mound. She widened her legs to aid him. “Don’t move.” He removed his hand and gripped her pants. Slowly he eased them over her hips down her knees until they were over her feet. The warm air on her bare skin made her feel even more aroused. Her labia was now exposed to him. Oddly she preferred that to her top being removed. Her legs weren’t in bad shape. Of all the silly things she was thinking at a time like this. “Your top.” She shook her head. “No.” “I’d rather start kissing you at your breasts and run my tongue over each nipple.” The way he spoke made her shiver in anticipation. Her ex was never too good at getting her aroused too much. “I’m a bit—.” “I don’t care. You look pretty good to me, so off.” She sat up briefly and he removed her top. Unclasping her bra she eased herself back onto the table. He knelt so she could not see him. Little kisses raced up her thigh just short of her nether-lips. He ran little kisses on the other thigh down to her knee. The way he kissed felt like torture, exquisite torture. Standing again he widened her legs further and 52

Sarah Dickson began to kiss her on the stomach. She knew it was ugly with cellulite yet the tender way he kissed her, rapidly eroded her self consciousness. His hand slid up to her breast. She gasped at the wonderful sensation. Her nipple ached to be suckled, and as if he’d read her mind his mouth descended on her nub. An electric jolt shot straight to her core. A contraction in her vagina made her cry out. A little orgasm, her first in so long she forgot how good it felt. His lips found the other nipple while his hand returned to between her thighs. He cupped her pubic area and as he gently squeezed, she thrust her hips into his hand. “Alex,” she murmured. A sly grin crossed his lips. “You have been waiting so long. You can wait a little longer.” “I can wait only I…ooooh.” He disappeared from view again. Seconds later she felt his tongue as it teased her folds, barely missing her clit. She balled her hands into fists. The need was driving her crazy but she didn’t want to rush. Soon he’d be gone and this would become a wonderful memory. Alex breathed out, feeding warm air over her clitoris. His tongue followed a heartbeat later. She gasped at the intensity of her reaction. She wanted to watch, and ignoring the discomfort of the hard wood of the table, propped up on her elbows. She watched him as his tongue did its worst, diving in and out until the build became so unbearable she arched back and cried out. Shuddering from the aftermath she nearly slipped. 53

Distant Souls He released her, his gaze ablaze with desire. “More?” “Yes.” Her cunt throbbed with the need to have more, him, and all of him. Now. He was about to resume when she stayed his hand. “You.” “I made a promise not to—” “Forget the promise. I’ve changed my mind.” He raised an eyebrow. The demand even surprised her. “Sorry.” “Whatever for? I think you have made it quite clear.” He removed his top and his wonderful chest was revealed for her to explore, close up this time. She was about to reach out and touch a nipple when he gripped her wrist. “You’ll get your chance in a moment. Just lie there and thinks of what we will be like.” She smiled at the noise of tearing foil. He came prepared after all. Facing her, he removed his pants and applied the condom. She licked her lips when he was done. Oh my. Nice, very nice. And she wanted him inside her. The tip of his cock touched her nether-lips. “I’ll be careful.” “Why.” He smiled and her heart skipped a heat. “I’ve not had sex for three years.” “You could have fooled me.” His smile became mischievous. “That doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten how.” She was tight, so much so she had to adjust herself to accommodate him. He ran his hands over her 54

Sarah Dickson nipples, tweaking them. More juice flooded to between her legs and she felt the tightness ease. Inch by inch he eased in fully. He was about to lean over when Melinda placed her hand on his chest. “I want to watch you.” A brief flash of concern crossed his face. “Are you sure?” Her ex preferred to get in close so all she ever saw was the ceiling. “Just this once, please.” So I can remember everything about this moment. He nodded. “Only this time.” The unspoken part could mean he wanted more. He began to move and she forgot all about it. Now was all that mattered. Alex’s chest glistened as he held her buttocks off the edge of the table. She watched his face intently. He gave his all. Not even the hard surface of the table mattered any more. Wrapping her legs tighter around his waist she moved to increase his access. Oh my, he felt good. Gently in and out, as if he too wanted to be sure. For a man who was out of practice he felt pretty good to her. Everything about him looked lovely too. Even the way he gazed at her body, she no longer felt any kind of embarrassment. He squeezed his eyes closed, then stilled. “I better stop.” “Don’t.” “Are you sure?” He seemed quite worried. “Most definitely.” On the next thrust she exploded, crying out as she did so. 55

Distant Souls It was all Alex needed. He thrust in harder, making her shudder again. His eyes widened then narrowed. “Melinda. I’m—” He leaned over and held her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. She let the illusion persist. She wanted to savor this moment for as long as she could. He thrust deep and she cried out again. Oh my, this is sooo wonderful. All too soon he stilled. Slowly he eased off her. His face appeared flushed, yet his gaze held a dreaminess she had never seen in her ex’s eyes. “You came quite hard,” he said. “So did you.” He grinned. “I know, and,” he whispered in her ear, “I want more of you.” Her ex had never felt like this. Her orgasms with him were a light tremor by comparison. Not so at the beginning. Not until the desire had been shattered by too many years of familiarity. “I can’t.” She scrambled off the table and quickly dressed. It suddenly seemed cold in here. Distressed, he stared at her as if she had struck him. He grabbed his clothes. “I know when I’m not wanted.” Melinda knew if she moved another step she’d blow it, and really didn’t want to. Alex wasn’t like any of other man she’d known. Anything she said at all would sound dumb like — Its not you — made her want to feel sick. He had made her feel desirable again. 56

Sarah Dickson “Stay,” she whispered. He paused at the door. Whatever he expected she could tell it wasn’t that. “For a little while at least,” she added quickly. Dropping his gaze, he dressed. Had she got him so wrong that he was going to leave her? She glanced outside. It was still dark. Did she dare offer her own car? Then it occurred to her his truck and the tree had effectively blocked her from being able to get out anyway. He looked at her, his gaze steady. “I might if you want me to.” Her knees threatened to give way. “Really?” Alex caught her in his arms. “I think we are onto a good thing Melinda.” “Really” she said again. Must think I’m a blubbering fool. Dark eyes gazed into hers with amusement. “Yes, really.” A flicker of pink arced across his shoulders. She blinked. Had she imagined it? He released her. “You see it don’t you?” “Your aura,” she said, amazed. “What color is it?” “Pink.” Can you guess what it means?” “Happiness?” He kissed her nose. “A good guess and you are right.” Steering her from the shed he continued. “Did you know a lot of your darkness has gone?” Melinda didn’t need to be told. She felt different. 57

Distant Souls For a brief moment fear gripped her. “What is it?” he asked, concerned. The woman she had been earlier in the day now seemed a stranger to her. Had she been so indifferent? It mattered greatly that she never returned to that, ever. “Could I fall back into what I was?” Alex held the door. His expression serious, he said. “We all go through states of indifference in our lives. At times it’s the only way to survive.” “Did you do it, too?” “When I was sick I did. I didn’t want to see anyone for months. It was easier to curl up somewhere on a road to nowhere and let life drift by.” “Is that why you traveled?” “To hide from myself initially, yes. Then I discovered life was worth living. That’s when I saw this light, as if it were a confirmation of what I was thinking.” “What sort of light?” “My own.” “An aura. No mysterious tunnel or anything like that.” “None.” He looked skyward, and she followed his gaze. “It’s a miracle, and I don’t try to understand why. Maybe it was to bring me to you.” She slipped her hands around his neck and kissed him on the lips. She felt like she was eighteen again, and it was wonderful. “Tomorrow, or today if the rain lets up, I think it’s time we did some work around the place. That is if you don’t mind?” she said. 58

Sarah Dickson He briefly kissed her back. “Only if I sleep in your bed tonight.” “Agreed.”

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

B

orn in Australia, Sarah has been writing stories on and off for as long as she can remember. She lives in Queensland with her husband who is very supportive of her ever-changing work lifestyle. Her other life is the odd work here and there but writing stories is a lot more fun.