Ceaseless Read online

  Chapter Fifteen

  Pagan

  I had a date with Dank. A real date, not an impromptu breakfast—a real date. Just us. I was as excited as I was nervous. However, I wasn’t sure what to wear. This must have been the way Miranda felt when she was getting ready to go out with Nathan.

  “You can pull off the boy shorts and bra well, but I’m thinking clothing may be required for where you’re going tonight,” Gee said as she walked into the room through our adjoining bathroom without knocking.

  “Funny,” I replied frowning at her. “I can’t decide what to wear. He said I could dress however I wanted to dress but that isn’t very helpful.”

  “I’m thinking he didn’t mean clothing optional,” Gee drawled as she plopped down on my bed.

  “You think? Thanks for clueing me in. I was thinking I might just parade around in my undies all night.”

  Gee laughed, “On second thought, he’d probably like that. I still vote for the clothes though.”

  “Should I wear casual or dressy? Which would he prefer?” I asked Gee as I scanned my limited wardrobe.

  “You want my honest opinion?”

  I glanced back at her over my shoulder, “Yes. I do. You know him better than I do.”

  Gee nodded in agreement. “Okay, wear that pink dress with those pink heels. He’ll be a puddle at your feet.”

  The pink dress? Really? I wasn’t even sure why I owned that dress. I had never worn it before. I reached for the hanger and pulled it out. It was sexy in an innocent kind of way. Might be a little dressy but then he hadn’t said not to be dressy. I remembered how he’d picked up those heels and held them like they were precious. Maybe he had a thing for pink heels.

  “You wear that and he won’t be able to concentrate. I can swear to you about that.”

  Gee knew him well. I’d go with her opinion. “Okay. If you say so.”

  Two hours later I was shaved, plucked, dressed and ready when someone knocked on my door. Who was that? I needed to go meet Dank in the great hall in five minutes. Miranda was still out with Nathan. They’d had a lunch date that was still going strong according to her many text messages. Gee had bailed on me after I started painting my toenails. She had lived through all the primping she could handle.

  I opened the door and Dank stood there in a pair of khaki slacks, a dark blue dress shirt that was left open at the collar and, of course, his boots, holding a dozen red roses. He looked mouthwatering. His surprised expression as he took in what I was wearing didn’t go unnoticed. What was he surprised about? That I could clean up nicely?

  “Pagan, you, uh, wow, I… I really like you in pink.”

  I really liked this side of him. The not so cool and confident side. The one that was vulnerable. I pointed to the roses, “Are those for me?”

  He glanced down at the forgotten flowers in his hand and chuckled, “Yeah, they are.” He held them out for me to take and I realized this was a first. No guy had ever brought me roses.

  “Thank you,” I replied stepping back to let him in. If he’d been spotted in the hall then someone would have said something by now. I wanted to put my first ever roses in water before we left and leaving him in the hall was a bad idea. He might get caught. I didn’t have a vase in here… I scanned the room for something to put my roses in.

  “What about this?” Dank said walking over to my desk and picking up my empty pencil holder that Miranda had insisted we buy to match our other cute desk items. It was perfect.

  “Yes! It finally comes in useful,” I took the pencil holder and went to the bathroom to clean it out and fill it with water. When I walked back into the room Dank was standing in front of my bulletin board looking at the pictures I’d pinned up there from high school. Several had Wyatt in them. A few had my mother but most were just Miranda and me. I didn’t have that many pictures of my years in high school. Especially my senior year. There was nothing. Sometimes I couldn’t even remember things like my prom or who was in my class. Everything seemed blurry. My mom said it was the trauma of losing Wyatt that messed with my head. Miranda felt the same way so that made sense. She’d lost her boyfriend but we’d both lost one of our best friends.

  “That’s Wyatt,” I explained as I walked up to stand beside him. “He was Miranda’s boyfriend and a close friend of mine. He died last year.”

  Dank nodded his head. There was a sadness there almost like he understood that kind of pain. Had he lost someone too? “I’m sure that was tough.”

  Yeah it was awful. “I hate death. It’s a tragic thing that comes for us all. Some sooner than others.”

  Dank shoulders tensed and he shifted away from me. What had I said? This was not what I wanted to be talking about tonight. Death was so morbid and sad. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have even brought up such a sad topic.”

  I watched as Dank stared out the window instead of looking at me. He was dealing with something. I just wished I knew what. After what felt like several minutes but was only seconds in reality, he turned his attention toward me. “Death can’t help what fate decides.”

  That was much deeper than anything I’d expected to come out of his mouth. He was right but still. I nodded, “That’s true. I guess we can’t blame death for the tragedy. Fate isn’t something anyone can control.”

  Dank let out a heavy sigh. The guy must have had to deal with death one too many times in his life. Way to go, Pagan. Bring up something upsetting and screw up the mood. “Are you ready?” He asked finally breaking the uncomfortable silence.

  “Yes.”

  Dank motioned for me to lead the way and he opened the door for me. I made sure no one was around before he followed me out. The tension in the air around us was thick. I knew it was my fault although I didn’t know what I’d said. I could either force him to explain what I’d said wrong or let this go for fear of ruining our night. Perhaps he would open up to me willingly another time. I didn’t get the vibe from him that this was something he wanted to talk about.

  When we stepped out into the parking lot, I was about to offer Miranda’s car for us when I noticed a limo waiting on the curb. Dank flashed me a crooked smile, “I couldn’t make you ride on the back of a motorcycle in a dress and heels.”

  How had he known I was wearing a dress and heels?

  “Gee,” he replied without my asking him.

  “Ah, that makes sense, but Miranda had told me we could use her car. I knew your motorcycle and my dress wouldn’t make a good combination.”

  “This will be more fun,” he winked, opened the door, and assisted me inside. The driver didn’t get out. I thought that was odd but I didn’t question it.

  Dank

  Having Pagan sitting close beside me and wearing that little pink dress I loved and showing off her legs eased the pain in my chest caused by her earlier words about hating death. She hadn’t known what she was saying; in her mind death was an event not a being. Most humans see it that way. My job brought neither fame nor popularity. I took souls. The things humans cherished the most I took from them. Pagan had lost Wyatt. She hated death because of that loss, despite that it wasn’t Death’s fault.

  “So can you tell me where we are going now?” she asked. I could see the worried look in her eyes. I needed to snap out of this. She was feeling it and I didn’t want tonight to be screwed up because she’d said she hated me. She hadn’t meant it. Just going without hearing her tell me she loved me was getting to me. Not being able to see that love and devotion in her eyes made every day look bleak.

  “We’ll be there soon. Are you always this impatient?” I smiled at her so she knew I was teasing and her shoulders relaxed. I had upset her with my earlier reaction.

  “Yes, as a matter-of-fact, I am,” she replied.

  “I may have the driver ride around a little longer just for fun.”

  Pagan shoved me with her shoulder, “Don’t underestimate me. I can take you down.”

  And I would gladly let her.

  “You think so
? I think watching you try would be the highlight of my year.”

  Pagan raised both her eyebrows and with a challenging look, she then bent over to take off her heels. What the heck? She placed them both on the seat across from us and then turned her attention to me. “You sure about this because my size can be deceiving.”

  “If you mean to tell me that you’re about to jump on any part of my body then please, Pagan, by all means, bring it on.”

  Her face instantly turned bright red. Damn. She was going to back out.

  “Uh,” she said staring at me like she wasn’t sure what her next move was going to be.

  “You’re about to show me how easily you can take me down. Don’t go getting shy now after you got my hopes up.”

  Pagan ducked her head and let out a small laugh. I took advantage of the situation and moved quickly and had her laid back on the seat while I held myself over her before she knew what was happening.

  “Gotcha. Now what you gonna do?” I asked as the startled look turned into a calculating gleam. She leaned up and covered my lips with hers before I knew what she was doing. Her small even white teeth nibbled on my bottom lip and then her tongue took a small swipe before easing into my very eager mouth. Her hands were on my chest and moving downward making all normal thought flee. I could only focus on one thing: Pagan and how she felt, tasted, and the small little pleased sounds coming from her throat.

  Her hands shoved me back and her legs wrapped around my waist. I moved back pulling her with me and she maneuvered her body until she was in my lap straddling me. I buried my hands in her hair as she squeezed the sides of my waist then slowly pulled back. The triumphant grin on her face was adorable.

  “Who’s on top now? Don’t underestimate me.” She said in a husky voice.

  If I weren’t already completely owned by this female, I would be now. This was my Pagan.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Pagan

  The first thing I saw through the tinted windows of the limo was twinkling white lights. There were thousands of them. I scooted over to look closer and see where it was the driver had taken us. I’d just spent over ten minutes in Dank’s lap, kissing and being kissed senseless.

  The large area looked like a field with a gazebo covered in white lights sat in the middle of it. Strands of lights were strung from the gazebo to the trees surrounding it giving a canopy of lights feeling. What was this place?

  The limo came to a stop and I looked back at Dank who was watching me instead of looking out the window. “Where are we?” I asked.

  Dank smirked the sexy way only Dank could and the driver opened my door. I slid out and Dank followed me. Dank thanked the tall dark man who then got back into the car and drove away.

  I looked around at the secluded site that Dank had obviously taken great pains to make appear so stunning.

  “It’s not the Garden of Hesperides, but then who wants to eat golden apples and dodge a dragon. This garden is a much better option.”

  Had the rocker just compared this place to Hara’s garden? Impressive. But then again, he frequently managed to surprise me.

  “It’s gorgeous. How did you do all this?” I asked as he took my elbow and led me toward the gazebo.

  “I have my ways.”

  He was always so guarded. I shouldn’t have expected him to actually tell me how he’d managed to get a large elaborate gazebo into the middle of a deserted field and then cover the place with lights.

  The three steps on the gazebo were lined with white lights. A small round table sat in the center of the covered area. A silver tablecloth draped the table and there were two chairs placed around it. A bouquet of some kind of exotic flowers I’d never seen sat in the middle of the table. The glass vase even had lights inside. He had really put a lot of work into this. I was suddenly very thankful that I hadn’t worn jeans.

  “What are you thinking?” He asked close to my ear. I shivered from the warmth of his breath against my skin.

  “I’m thinking you must really want to impress me or either this is something you’ve invested in to bring all your first dates on.” I was teasing of course and I smiled at him as I said it so he’d know I wasn’t being serious.

  “Never realized how sexy a smart mouth could be,” he replied.

  Soft music began playing from speakers hidden in the corners of the gazebo. Dank held out his hand, “Dance with me?”

  I slid my hand into his and he pulled me against his chest. This was different than our first dance at the club. It was sweeter, more sincere. Less about attraction and more about connection.

  “Pagan?” Dank asked softly against my ear.

  “Yes,” I replied resting my chin on his shoulder thanks to the height from my heels.

  “Will you promise me something?”

  That was an odd request. I thought about it a minute then nodded. “Yes.”

  He let out another heavy sigh. Something was bothering him tonight. “One day you’ll need to remember this. Remember how this felt. I need you to tuck this memory close inside and hold onto it.”

  That was by far the oddest thing anyone had ever said or asked of me. He almost sounded like he was dying. “Um, okay,” I replied hesitantly.

  He let out a soft chuckle, “I’m sorry. Sometimes I get a little too serious.”

  No kidding. He took my hand and lifted it in the air and twirled me around. I decided I’d forget his ominous request for now and enjoy the most romantic date I’d ever been on.

  After the song ended Dank walked over and pulled out a chair for me. “I know it looks like we’re out here all alone but I don’t intend to starve you.”

  I looked around and sure enough a man in a tuxedo came walking out of the woods carrying a silver tray and two glass bottles of Coke.

  Smiling back at Dank I said, “I can’t believe you set all this up.”

  He winked at me. “I wanted to make a good impression being as this is our first official date.”

  “Well, you blew any other first dates I’ve ever had out of the water already so sit back and relax.”

  Dank laughed as the waiter placed the Cokes in front of us and opened them. He lifted the lid on the silver tray and then took the two glasses of ice and put them beside or bottles.

  “I don’t know how you could even think I’d ever be able to forget this,” I said in awe as the server set chocolate covered strawberries in front of us.

  “Good. That’s the idea,” he replied.

  ***

  It had almost been a whole day since I’d seen or heard from Dank. He had brought me home after our date last night and I’d half expected him to be waiting on me outside the dorm this morning when I walked out. Then I’d been expecting him to be waiting on me outside the building of our first class. But he hadn’t shown up for literature again. After lunch when he still hadn’t called or shown up I began to wonder if I’d done something wrong last night. Since the first day we’d met he had managed to show up at least two times a day. I’d thought after the evening we’d had he would be around even more. I had looked forward to seeing him. I’d almost texted him several times but I’d refrained. He had my number.

  Now that the sun was setting and he hadn’t bothered to even text I decided last night might have meant more to me than it had to him. Maybe that really was a set up for first dates. Maybe it hadn’t meant anything more to him.

  I stacked up my books and stuck them into my book bag. I’d spent the last two hours in the library studying. Miranda was getting ready for another date with Nathan and she was too chatty to allow me to get anything done. This hadn’t been much better. My thoughts had kept going back to last night and what I could have done wrong.

  The night breeze was abnormally cool tonight. I pulled my books higher on my shoulder and made my way toward the dorm. It was almost a mile but I figured the walk was good exercise. I didn’t like trying to park Miranda’s SUV. I could see myself scratching it up.

  “Dank, stop,” a giggling
female voice came from the darkness. My blood froze. Stopping in my tracks I waited to listen for more. Surely I’d heard that wrong.

  “I want a taste,” a familiar deep voice replied. My stomach felt sick.

  “I can’t get naked out here. Someone may come by,” the girl whispered and then let out a small moan.

  “Open your legs,” he replied.

  I wanted to move my legs. I wanted to move away from the voices. But I couldn’t. My legs weren’t cooperating.

  “Right here?” the girl asked breathlessly.

  “Yeah,” he said a small groan came from him. Yeah, I was going to be sick.

  “Ah, Dank, Mmmmm that feels so good.”

  I took off running. I didn’t look back.

  Dank

  I’d worked all day to make up for my late night with Pagan. Tonight, however, I intended to spend it with her again. I walked into the empty park just outside of Pagan’s dorm before appearing. Leif sat on the bench facing the dorm with one leg crossed over his knee and his arms folded across his chest. What was he still doing here? She didn’t know him nor did she want him. Now that her soul was free of his claim she couldn’t even remember him from one week to the next. A week from now she’d forget about the strange guy who’d ordered her coffee correctly and questioned her. She had a soul. He didn’t. There could never be a lasting connection. A spirit born of Voodoo could never connect with a soul born of the Creator. It was that simple. He knew it too.

  “Why are you here?” I didn’t bother to announce my arrival.

  “Because I owed you one,” was his only reply.

  What the hell did that mean? I glared down at him, “Explain that.”

  Leif shrugged. “Not much to explain Dankmar. You took Pagan from me. She’ll never remember me. I lost all I’d ever known and loved. So, I thought you deserved the same thing in return.”

  He still made no sense. I knew Pagan was safe. He could no longer touch her soul. I held the life of her soul in my hands. “She never chose you. She chose me. You have no power here.”