Chapter 1: Ethereal Musician

 

Alayna lives as a recluse in the giant redwood forest far from prying eyes. When intruders break into her home with the intention of robbing and using her, a man with vivid green eyes becomes an unlikely saviour. The instant they see each other their fates are sealed. Ben and Alayna have the kind of attraction that reeks of a celestial mandate.

 She realises what Ben truly is, but he’s too young to know his real self. She sends him away to discover his destiny, telling him to play the music able to move stars, and awaits his return. Their attraction, though, is so visceral and overwhelming that Ben comes back again and again, each time finding it harder to leave the only woman who has ignited his soul.

 Alayna feels it too, because Ben possesses a kiss able to break worlds. His green eyes are an ethereal magnificence amid the redwoods, lighting the way for love, music, dreams and destiny to mark their paths, but such a connection has a price.

Chapter One

  

THE BLACKTOP GLISTENED after the rain, a dark snake unfurling through the redwood forest. Cat eyes shone as if tiny creatures populated the yellow lines.

The ripe smell of rich earth competed with the distinct aroma of wet tar, and drips of fresh water plinked through the foliage. Nearby a spotted owl delivered its distinguishing call.

Although it was early yet in the afternoon, the gloom above gave the appearance of approaching night.

Set back slightly from the switchback road, a small cottage huddled, nearly smothered in ivy huddled beneath the giants populating northern California, wisps of smoke curling from a stone chimney. Azaleas and rhododendron vied with prolific sword ferns for space in a small garden.

On the porch an ancient bench watched the days pass by, whether wet or dry. A red squirrel perched on the gate post, unmoving until a woman came out the front door, and then he hurtled up the nearest bole.

Grinning, Alayna gave a whistle and left an offering of nuts and fruit in the stone platter upon the low wall. Already, as she turned away, the squirrel shimmied downward. Soon, she knew, his furry family would join him.

  

NOTHING OF NOTE happened in the small town of Legget, besides tourists arriving to take photos of their cars driving through the Chandelier Tree, or of themselves standing within the carved arch in the massive trunk.

They stopped for a bite, maybe some gas, and then most moved on to the nearest camping grounds. At certain times of the year it was busy, but at others nothing much occurred.

Jack and Shaun argued with Ben outside the local diner. The place was closed and a For Sale sign sat in the window.

“We need cash, bud, or we’ll never get to San Francisco,” Jack snapped out, irritated that he needed to repeat himself. “This one-horse town has zip for us; the tourist season is over, man. I say we grab a few dollars from the gas station and head south.”

His scrawny body quivered with intent.

“Yeah, hanging around here will only get us stuck and bored,” Shaun said. “There’s nothing to eat either.”

They were quite the opposites, Jack and Shaun, for Shaun was fat. He was stupid, too.

“Shut up,” Jack snarled at him. “What do you know?” He shifted his attention to the third member of their trio. “Ben, come on. Shaun and me, we’ll grab the dough, just keep the engine running, man, like always. Man, it’s not hard.”

Ben stared at him. “And how far will a few dollars get us? I’m telling you, it’s a waste of effort.”

“You’re just a fucking wuss. We’ll find other places along the way, get more. For fuck’s sake, man, do you want to stay in this empty shithole?”

Ben lifted green eyes to the forest surrounding them on all sides. A slight breeze promised rain later as it ruffled his fair hair. Yes, he could stay. He hankered after some peace and quiet. Jack, however, would pull a knife on him if he dared suggest it. The weasel had a mean streak, and no conscience. He liked that knife too damn much.

“I’ll wait outside,” Ben eventually said.

Jack slapped him on the back and Shaun laughed. “Get the wheels. We’re going in.” Jack grabbed Shaun’s wobbling arm and they strode across the road.

Their inane giggling disturbed the quietness in the air.

Idiots. Folk would remember them.

Frowning, Ben climbed into the driver’s seat and turned the ignition key. The old blue Chevy spluttered twice and then caught. Eyeing the progress of the other two, hating himself for giving in yet again, he timed his swing and landed in a squeal of brakes before the glass doors as they vanished into the shop.

He didn’t watch. He didn’t want to see another unsuspecting kid manning the register frightened out of his wits by the insane Jack and the stupidity of that oaf Shaun.

It was time to leave those two behind, but not in this quiet place. They would do too much harm here. He’d either abandon them somewhere more populated or simply walk away when Jack wasn’t looking.

The rear doors slammed as the two flung bodily into the car.

“Get fucking driving!” Jack screeched.

The Chevy sped away, heading north.

  

ALAYNA FINISHED EATING the vegetable soup she’d prepared for her supper and placed the remains in the fridge, along with the butter. Tomorrow night’s meal. She wrapped the rest of her freshly baked loaf and put it in the old wooden bread box.

While rinsing her few dishes, she stared out into the darkening forest. It was autumn now and summer’s ever-present fog began to vie with the downpours that heralded winter’s approach. It was always somewhat on the cooler side here, but she preferred that. Heat had never summoned her, held no allure. Heat wasn’t good for her, point of fact. She was comfortable in the mists, in the bracing air of a fertile forest.

The fog thickened. Soon it would be so silent out, one would believe oneself entirely alone in the universe. The road would remain empty, isolated, and without movement but for the occasional elk crossing its expanse on a journey through the night time forest. This was perfection. Silence and isolation.

After the life she had, she desired nothing else.

This was a place and time in which to recuperate. People drained one of energy.

Finishing the dishes, she set two lanterns alight and carried one to her desk in the living room, leaving the other in the kitchen window. Setting it to one side, she drew her laptop closer, flipped the lid, and called up her work in progress. She enjoyed the rustic lifestyle, but her laptop was her mainstay of technology.

This book was taking a bit longer than the others did. She found that the wildlife offered greater distraction these days than her mind usually conjured.

Still, she had to eat.

It was a few small edits from finished. She started typing.

  

“STOP!” SHAUN SCREAMED, and Ben slammed on the brakes, nearly wrenching his head from his shoulders.

“What the fuck, man?” Jack demanded, craning around to the back. He’d earlier clambered into the front passenger seat, almost causing a goddamn calamity when his elbow ‘accidentally’ hit Ben in the jaw.

“I saw a light,” Shaun mumbled sheepishly.

Ben drew in a breath. Not this again. Some unsuspecting household was about to be robbed. “No one lives out here,” he said. “This is a waste of time.”

Jack eyed him. “You’re going soft, bro. We may have to teach you a lesson, toughen you up a bit.” He eyed Shaun next. “Where’d you see it?”

“Up a ways.” Shaun jerked a meaty thumb over his shoulder.

“Back up, Ben,” Jack ordered. “This isolated, maybe they got gas tanks out back, in case.”

Yeah, the idiots didn’t think it out too well. Not that they ever did. So they robbed the register, got a few dollars, but paper didn’t create gas, did it? They should’ve filled the tank before leaving Legget behind and instead they now raced along a dark road as empty as the tank would soon be.

These two assholes hadn’t yet realised he deliberately drove north into the highlands, knowing there was little to be had along the way. He intended to engineer his walk away. He’d had enough of them and didn’t want to land up behind bars for theft or worse. All three of them on foot? He’d leave them behind within minutes.

Ben backed up, and there it was, a light.

A lantern in a cottage window.

Blinking, he stared at it. It called to him, like the proverbial lamp in the storm.

His heart thundered into rapid motion.

He didn’t like this.

This felt wrong. Something here was not as it seemed.

“Developing a conscience, bud?” Jack punched him on the arm, hard.

“Fuck off,” Ben said, bringing the car to a halt.

  

ALAYNA LIFTED HER head, swiping dark blonde strands of hair from her face. Did a car just stop outside?

Standing, she lifted the lantern on her desk. Maybe a traveler was in some kind of trouble.

The lamp slid from her grasp when three young men hurtled through the front door, which shattered on impact and instantly flames licked at the ancient rug.

“Fuck! Stupid bitch!” Stamping the blaze roughly out, the vocal one of the three snapped out, “You alone?”

Of course she was. To claim she wasn’t would simply reveal she was a liar and that was potentially worse for her. “I’m alone. May I help you? Would you boys like something to eat?”

“Yeah,” said the fat one, grinning.

“Shut up, Shaun!” The thin, dirty one, glared over his shoulder and then crowded into her personal space. “You got any gas?”

Ah. She understood the situation in a heartbeat. “There’s some in the shed out back, yes.”

“Shaun, go!” Scrawny screeched.

The final young man in the trio, she noted, hadn’t moved a muscle since entering. After watching his buddy snuff the flames, he had glanced into the kitchen, to the other lantern, and then remained motionless. It was the strangest thing; his face was perfectly composed, as if nothing disturbed his inner self.

Was that serenity, she wondered, or the face of a psychopath? Why was she thinking this now? Clearly they were here to cause harm and whatever he was inside had little bearing.

Now he did move, and she discovered she was holding her breath. As Shaun shoved past him into the night, muttering about always getting the shit end of the stick, he stepped aside with barely veiled dislike.

Clearly, then, not so serene.

The skinny fellow looked her up and down insolently. “You’re a little old for me, under normal circumstances, but you could still keep a man warm, s’pose. What you? Like forty or something?”

Dread crawled across her skin as bumps of puckered flesh. Her gaze flicked to the silent one, somehow drawn there. Her blood ran cold when she read the expression on his face. No, not his face. That remained carefully schooled. It was in his eyes … incredible eyes, dear God. This boy was about to commit murder. And she wasn’t his victim.

“You will regret it,” she said then, feeling she needed to warn him of the dangers to his soul.

His green gaze shifted to her and seemed to pierce her soul. “I don’t think so,” he replied. There was no emotion in his voice either.

“What the fuck …” the scrawny one muttered. “Ben, fucking get her and hold her, I’m getting fucking hard here, man.”

Ben inclined his head. “Sure, Jack.”

He approached as Jack unzipped his filthy jeans. As he drew abreast, he snatched Jack into a head lock.

“Worm!” he spat.

Jack struggled, gasping for air, arms flailing uselessly. Clearly Jack wasn’t a fighter. He was all air and sound.

“Behind you!” Alayna gasped, noticing fat Shaun’s shadow in the doorway.

Ben whirled, putting his back to her, still holding a wheezing Jack. “Back off, Shaun.”

“What you doing, man?”

No one was now looking at her. She stepped back unobtrusively until she felt the rifle stock under her fingers. Gripping it, she swung it around, holding it aloft. As she did so, Shaun barreled towards the other two, screaming obscenities at the top of his voice.

Alayna pulled the trigger.

The fat boy hurtled backwards and toppled through the door. A gurgle sounded and then … nothing. She didn’t see where the bullet made impact, it happened that fast.

An audible crack of snapping bone came next and she shifted her gaze to the other two, in time to see and hear the gaunt one hit the wooden floor, his neck at an odd angle.

That had taken both strength and determination.

Perhaps pure desperation.

Utter silence enveloped the small space.

And then Ben said, “I’ll remove the evidence, and then be on my way. You might have to scrub the deck outside after I’m gone.”

Alayna nodded. It was as much as she could manage at that point.

His gaze again stripped her soul naked, before he bent and hooked his hands under Jack’s arms and dragged him out. A car door slammed soon after.

The sound of a heavier body slithering with difficulty along her garden path sounded, and then a door banged again.

Moments later Ben darkened her doorway. There was no expression on his face. “Lock up. Oh, and put a fresh round in that chamber.”

He touched his forehead and was gone. An engine roared to life outside and tires screeched on the slippery surface.

The sound vanished into the distance, heading south.

ETHEREAL MUSICIAN