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Romancing the New Year Blog Hop
Welcome to the New Year's blog hop. We changed things up this time around and chose to offer you a taste of our talents to send you into the New Year right! I hope you enjoy the stories inspired by the picture and the characters we created, (both found within the picture and those avoiding it). May you have a wonderful 2011 and many more New Years to come!
Enjoy.
Alia leaned over Jordan’s shoulder and smiled as dark molasses waves tickled her cheek. She scanned the digital camera screen and let out a sigh of relief. She hadn’t been got caught in the photograph. Great, but that had been too close, it was time to duck out before the inevitable happened.
“Happy New Year, Beautiful!” Jordan turned and kissed her on the cheek. He lifted the camera. “I confiscated it to check for you, we’re good. And Clark is drunk enough that he won’t notice if I keep the camera. If anyone asks we can say you were sitting in the chair in front of Jess when they kissed. She’ll never know the difference.” He looked at the picture again. “I mean damn, is Matt trying to lick her tonsils?”
“Well it is Matt. Maybe he’s got a thing for tonsils.” She kissed his cheek in return and stepped back. “I should head out. You have everything in hand here and cabs will be scarce in an hour.”
“No, you can’t leave yet.” He slipped the camera into his pocket and took her hand. “Our time zone is coming up next, you’ve got to stay til midnight.”
She looked down at their hands, avoiding his eyes to make it easier. “We’ve done five New Year’s countdowns already. I think I’ve got the gist of it.”
“But it was brilliant to start the countdown in Paris and move through the time zones! I’ve kissed five different people and the ball hasn’t even dropped in Times Square yet.” He pressed their clasped hands to his chest. Even in the bar lighting his olive complexion was made paler against her dark vanilla bean skin. “You’ve got to stay until it’s ours. It’s not New Years until it’s New Years in New York.” He gave her puppy dog eyes and pulled her into a hug. “Please, for me? Kyle, Mark and Linda already bailed on me. Like always you’re the only one I can count on.” He leaned and whispered. “Not to mention, you’re all I’ve got left before I’m stuck with only a bar full of people I’ve never slept with and who are therefore less entertaining to be around. I’m sure there are city codes against that happening.”
Alia pressed her forehead to his shoulder and laughed. “That is the most ridiculous thing you’ve said today—and you’ve thrown out some gems!” She lifted her head and smiled at him. “If I stay you’ll want to hit after parties and I’m not up to that.”
Jordan pursed his lips. “Not even if I promise it’ll be a small, private gathering talking about books and projects for the New Year with nary a drink in sight? Afterwards we can grab a cab back to the condo and I’ll come up and make you breakfast. French toast, you know you love my French toast.”
“I think Kyle might be expecting you to come home before we get to French toast.”
Jordan shrugged. “If he cared what time I came home he should have stayed to make sure I got there. Just one more countdown and we’re gone.” He pulled her closer and kissed the curve of her ear. “Only you would stick out five hours in a bar for me when you don’t even drink. Give me one more hour until the ball drops and I’m yours until you want to get rid of me, promise.”
Alia’s body tensed. “You know better, Jordan. You should be careful what you promise.”
“Why? You’ve been my forever since you pulled me out of Lake Meade when I was fourteen.” He leaned back and looked into her eyes. “You haven’t changed since the day I crossed out of the darkness and looked up to the most beautiful face I’ve ever seen.”
“You were dying, that makes you biased.”
A smile stole across his lips. “Very biased, it was my first kiss too.”
“It was CPR.” She corrected.
Jordan shook his head. “It was a kiss for me and it sealed my fate, as they say.” He ran his hand over her hair and captured a curl. “I’ve always known what was coming. I’ve always known I’m just on loan to the rest of the world and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” A grin broke free. “So I’ll promise anything I damn well please because I mean it.”
Alia’s throat constricted. “You know, don’t you?”
Jordan kissed her forehead. “I figured by starting with Paris and going all the way to Los Angeles, I can get in a good nine New Year’s celebrations. Seems like more than enough to carry me through. By the time I start to miss this kind of thing, I’ll be able to come back.”
“Jordan.” Se touched his cheek.
“No, don’t. Don’t make it sad. I’m not sad, Alia, I’m excited. I’m a Vegas kid and I bet on you a long time ago. I’ve been waiting for this since I opened my eyes on the lake’s shore and realized my life wasn’t over but just beginning.” His squeezed her arms and bounced on his heels. “Just promise that we’ll go back to Lake Meade. That we’ll take a boat out under the stars and do it there; a whole dramatic, full-circle moment.”
She kissed him, slow and deep. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She stepped back and took his hand. “Come on, let’s get you another celebration hook up.”
“Wait what’s the plan?”
Alia pointed to the bartender taking a seat at a table alone. “His replacement showed up five minutes ago. I know you only picked this place to see him so I’m going to get you talking and make sure he’s your midnight kiss.”
A dark chocolate laugh rumbled up from his chest. “Best. Wingman. Ever.”
The introduction and starter conversation took moments and soon Alia slipped away to the main bar across from where everyone clustered to watch the television at the smaller drink station. She settled on a stool and ordered cranberry juice, sipping the tart beverage as she watched the two young men inflate their acquaintanceship with the assistance of liquid courage and an air of celebration. By her second drink a midnight kiss was assured and some forty-minutes later they’d practiced several times while she spoke with other friends throughout the bar.
She took a quiet moment to herself and smiled into her glass. The smile faltered as a wave of intimate heat washed over her and her body grew tight and moist.
“They look cozy.”
Alia closed her eyes as the honey and bourbon voice slid over her skin. “Aamon. I’ve been expecting you.” He ordered a drink and settled on the stool beside her, bringing the scent of open spaces, primordial places and sex beneath the stars. “You took longer than I thought you would.”
He sipped his drink. “It took me longer to work up the nerve than I’d like to admit to.” He stuck his hand into the inner pocket of his worn leather jacket and pulled out a palm-sized velvet box. “I got you something. It’s not much but I thought you’d like it.”
She spared a glance for Jordan and took the box. The brighter lights near the main bar gave a sparkle of gems that shone like Mediterranean seas. “Tourmaline and?”
“And green sapphire, all in silver fittings. I found the raw gems in Tokyo a few years back and thought of you. I didn’t figure out what to do with them until last month. I had it made at that little shop in Sedona you loved when we wintered there. The teardrop cut is still your favorite right?”
Alia stared at the choker a long moment. “Aamon.”
“You’ll wear it won’t you?” He reached out and caressed the curve of her neck with the back of his hand. “You came out unadorned, seems a shame to let it go unseen with such a lovely canvass to show it off.”
Alia stood and faced him. “Of course I’ll wear it. I’d never turn down a gift from you, Aamon.” She handed him the box and turned around, lifting her hair. “And yes, the teardrop cut is still my favorite.” Strong hands slipped around her throat and centered the choker in place. “It’s beautiful, thank you. Happy Anniversary, My Love.”
He let his fingertips glide across her shoulders and down her arms. “Happy Anniversary, Beloved.” Aamon embraced her from behind and held her close. “I didn’t know if you’d want me to come. You’re replacing me with a younger model after all. What is he, twelve?”
She slapped his hand where it rested around his waist. “He’s twenty-four. He’ll miss his twenty-fifth birthday by three days but it can’t be helped. I’ve given him every day of the ten years to decide and he’s made his choice, there’s no more time.” She turned in his arms. “Why wouldn’t I want you to come? I’m not the one that wanted you to leave.”
Aamon traced her lower lip with his thumb. “I’m the one that needed space. The one that wanted to run free, I know. But that just added to the thought I might be unwelcome. That you might want your time with him to be…yours alone.”
“He wants to meet you.” She reached for his face and stopped, caressing the collar of the leather jacket instead. “I’ve told him a lot about you.”
He brought both her hands to his face. “And he still wants to meet me? Brave kid.” He tried to smile but it faltered. “Is he the one? Will he close the circle?”
“He’s one and that’s all that matters.”
The crowd started to count down to the ball drop. Aamon startled but turned his attention back to Alia. “Does that mean you’ll come with me after the change?”
She looked over to Jordan as he snuggled up to the bartender and nodded. “I think he’ll like that. He’s always wanted to travel.” She smiled back at Aamon. “And your each other’s type so it should work out well. We’ll adorn the rooftops of the world.”
The countdown reached one and the bar exploded into applause and song. She leaned in and bit Aamon’s throat with tiny fangs as he did the same to her. The sharp tang of blood zinged through her body along with the soft, distant scent of stone made flesh. They had just under three months before the transformation and then her new Guardian would be ready to stand against the darkness and become a force of light; devoting the decade of life it would take to become a true Stone Warrior. Until then, he had a few more days of freedom ahead and with Aamon's arrival, more sultry endeavors to pursue.
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(Anonymous) 2011-01-01 04:53 pm (UTC)(link)Sue Brandes
katsrus(at)gmail(dot)com
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Happy New Year!
~X