松尾 Matsuo (tail of a pine tree) 蛍 Hotaru (firefly)

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Hi everyone. A little about me I guess would be I'm 26 and I live in WI. I have a daughter Calista, born September 2007. I have only done InuYasha, Naruto, and YuYu Hakushu stories. I don't watch enough of the other shows to get me interested in doing any fanfics on them. I have gotten attached to the Kagome Inutaisho pairing. Even though Kagome and InuYasha are a cute couple, they often make me think of sibling rivalry. I plan on throwing out many more stories but none are long enough to me that I can post them yet.

Well thanks and enjoy!

I have recently started a fic on KagYoukoKuronueKurama, if you don't understand that it starts out as kagome with Youko and Kuronue and then they all die and come back to life like Youko being shuichi(kurama) an avatar and he finds out Kagome is alive. Kagome also has a kid, Itsuki which means 'tree' and she gets a friend Daichi, means 大 (dai) "large, great" combined with 地 (chi) "earth, land" or 智 (chi) "wisdom, intellect".(names from Behind the Name: Japanese website) So yeah Kagome gets cursed by Naraku to be a demon at the beginning of the story and it goes through all of the hurdles Naraku throws at her and his ultimate decision when she becomes too much of a threat. It goes through the sacrifices she has to make but shows her strength and adaptability. The stories follows till Naraku's defeat and then I'm starting the next one which tells what happens to Kagome after the defeat of Naraku and that goes up to the deaths of youko and kuronue, yes I know Youko didn't die but thats what she will be told.

DECEMBER 29, 2010

I finished the picture of Satoru from A Change of a Different Kind.

JANUARY 21, 2011

I am getting to the ending chapters to the story The Life of a Demoness Miko, I know where it is going, just haven't felt like typing it all up but if I really wanted to I could have finished it by now, just haven't been in the mood enough to type it but I do have Chapter 27 almost halfway type, remember, this story usually has longer chapters than the others and these ending chapters will be longer, probably ranging on 5,000 words per chapter. So even though the story is drawing to it's end, it still has about 25,000 words, possibly more or less to go. I was going to be making the chapters short, and to the point but I want it to go out with a bang, in a sense to leave you wanting to read the last story of this trilogy.

The last story of the trilogy is start, i'm loading the first chapter today to ensure it doesn't get lost in case the computer crashes or something. I will be editing my previous chapters to all chapters that I already have up for the two chapters to make it better. I didn't use a beta-reader on any of it and some of the apps i used didn't have a good spell check and usually no grammar check. I do see the mistakes, just bear with me and I will get them all corrected eventually, I probably have almost half of the work done but I'm also using the thesaurus to expand the vocabulary to keep it interesting.

I will get to typing up to my other stories, especially my InuT/Kag story, it just takes a lot of time because I am using actual myths and creatures from Japanese folklore on Wikipedia, "List of legendary creatures from Japan" if you would like to look at that, you can see why it takes so long to get the chapters up. I will try and get one a week up but I really wish to finish the Youko/Kagome story so I can focus on other stories and work on the 3rd story on the side. I have decided not to put it up right away, but it will be soon after, I'm just having issues with the plot. I only know the beginning of the story and if I only keep it to that, I doubt the story would be worth typing without a good plot.

Hope everyone is having a good winter, I know I'm enjoying the indoors :) . If you have any ideas let me know but even though I do have side stories I been working on, I will NOT be posting them any time soon. I have way too many incomplete ones. Last but not least, I might be taking "New Endings" down, it just isn't going right and I have no inspiration to keep it going with the turn it took. I will put it back up, but not for a long time. The rest of the stories are on Hiatus, I want to finish them one by one before putting up more stories and ideas that I have on the side.

It has been a while but I thought I will share with you a sneak peak to my stories that I will be publishing online as e-books. I have clearly been hard at work on a few stories, I'm sorry it is all scattered but I work hard when I have inspiration for them. Life tends to get away from me. Here is a few sneak peaks to my stories.

The Lord And The Missing Princess

Chapter 1

You would think the two would be as far apart as can be but as a young ruler with needs to his kingdom to fulfill and a woman disguised as a ‘nobody’ there is no escape. Trey sat eating with a woman across from him. He only needed an heir; he did not see why he is being pressured to tie himself to her for life. She ate delicately, everything about her right now is perfect and as a male who demanded perfection you would think there wouldn’t be a problem but he instead found himself ill at ease with the thought of sharing his life with her.

If he is to mate he wanted it to be to someone better than her yet she had everything except an interesting persona. He would be laughed at for finding such a thing a flaw yet he refuses to give in. Only being the ruler of this kingdom for a few short years he could feel different ones try to attach puppet strings to him and he knew this is to be yet another one.

He finished his morning meal and departed, his black cape flowing behind him as he left the woman irritated. Today he could finally get out of the castle. He will gladly spend his next few days travelling under the guise of finding a mate. His father and brother will be around should anyone need something, anything else can be sent to him by a magic scroll. He departed from the courtyard, taking a leap into the air before he let the power running through his veins come out and fuel his launch as he aimed for the clouds.

The second he was out of sight he was free to do as he pleased. Being among those who try to control you will quickly have you thirsty for a slaughter and his blood has been raging for months since all of this ridiculousness started. They should have known that he is not one to be controlled and soon they will find themselves at the end of his claws.

It had been a quiet day at the village to start with for the young woman who had started out her chores early. She stood gathering water at a well humming a light tune as she went about her morning routine. Today had been a day thus far like any other minus that she started it early so she could hide away later with a good book full of adventures and tales that left her imagination soaring into the clouds. It gave her a break from this dull and repetitive life she was born into and for as long as she lived it she will always wish to get away from it all but her coming of age had put a small damper on things. Though she did not come of wealth or any notable bloodline she has been often seen as one of the most beautiful girls of the surrounding villages and especially from peasants. Her lack of parents or any blood family put a stain on her but the beauty she has always had overshadows it. She almost wished that she were ugly.

To have boys and men leer at her has become an everyday discomfort. It wasn’t uncommon knowledge of what her future possibilities might be and every day she goes over her choices, keeping to herself as she watches everyone from the outside in, studying, and taking in everything. With the buckets filled she carried them both to her shack that she was given after being deemed able to take care of herself. Though it was her home she spent little time there, sometimes not even for sleep now days. She had grown a tad paranoid after several nights of hearing someone outside it trying to peep in on her. She instead made it appear she lay there when really she went deep into the forest to her little glade.

To earn money she did various chores for some of the wealthier families in the village and that helped her to buy anything she needed but mostly she just saved it up in a secret stash for emergency use. She only has herself to worry about and with having a garden of her own she only bought from the market the things she could not grow to keep it a secret. Some of the people and kids here disliked her and she will keep all suspicion from her for as long as she can since they would only wish to see her suffer more. Going through her tasks she ended them all by mid-morning and after hanging around for just a little while she soon made her way into the darkness of the forest. She was always careful to ensure no one followed her and always left looking like she is doing more chores to keep any accusations off of her. Weaving through the forest the sunlight shown in an opening up ahead and with an eager smile she stepped in. With her buckets in hand she used them to water her garden from a small stream nearby. She tended to it often and was always happy when she could snack on a strawberry or two. Walking over to a fallen log she grabbed out her book and after getting herself settled she delved into the words getting lost in the pages as the sun shone brightly overhead.

It began getting cool out as her skin broke out in goosebumps after a cloud covered up the warm rays of the sun. Noticing its mark in the sky she slowly stretched and hid her book before heading back to her shack. There was nothing significant about it, though having shelter from storms she should be grateful but as it was she really did nothing to make it homier in feeling. She grabbed her blanket from the clothesline and headed inside. She went about fixing her faux looking sleeping body under the other blanket before she crept away into the forest with her freshly washed blanket in hand.

The new day brought a cloudy sky causing her to wake up later than she preferred but after straightening her clothes and hair she went about doing all of her chores. She made sure to make extra preparations to hide things from the rain in case it brought a storm and as soon as she stepped foot into the village she could tell she will be making preparations for others as well. The lady of the house hurried her around from one task to another before dismissing her to do as she pleased. She quickly made her way to the next house and the one after that. Most were too busy to give her any notice today but the same could be said with her notice of them. The morning went by quickly and today was payday for her as well and the extra tasks had given her a small bonus from each house before she left for her own home.

With a short stop home she grabbed a tarp and proceeded into the woods to cover her garden as the thunder rumbled overhead accompanied with a flash of lightning. Her hurried steps had her coming to the garden sooner than usual. Unfolding the tarp she used rocks to hold it down over her garden before hiding her earnings under the roots of a tree. She grabbed her book from the fallen log just as the first drops turned into a down poor. She tucked it into her ragged dress while the wind blew harshly. She started to leave the clearing when the tarp was almost blown away. After making a wild grab for it she piled on more rocks and scavenged for heavier stones until she felt satisfied with her work.

Lightning flashed overhead and hail beat down on her skin, a clear signal to head for shelter immediately. The angry weather was toned down a little as she entered the forest. She tripped over roots and lost her balance in the slippery mud; she persisted and navigated through it, soon coming to the edge where her shack lies. Stepping out of the cover of the trees she let the rain pound on her to get rid of the mud before she walked the short path to her door. As she opened the wooden door she was surprised to see a stranger sitting in the corner of her hut watching her with sharp eyes.

She stood there staring at them unsure what to do or say. She isn’t well accustomed to having guests or much for social skills. “This is my home,” she lamely stated. She stood close to the door in case she would need to flee and seek shelter elsewhere.

The stranger looked around the one room shack almost like they were surprised. Slowly they stood up, their full height being hindered by the low ceiling. “Forgive me for trespassing; I did not know this was someone’s home. I only need shelter from the storm if you could be so generous. I will pay handsomely,” he began to pull out a pouch of coins and she nervously shook her head.

It wasn’t in her to send someone out into the storm especially one like this but she also didn’t want to share such a close space with a stranger of any gender. The nice clothing they wore didn’t escape her notice either and with a rash decision she barely managed to speak, “uh you can just stay here, I will go elsewhere.” With that she fled from her home, refusing the offered money, and ignoring the yell from the handsome stranger. She ran into the forest and weaved through the trees until she came to one with big uplifted roots that she could fit under. With little choice she crawled under them and huddled into a tight ball.

The cold seeped into her through her soaked clothes and sleep kept dodging her. The storm was loud and did nothing to help her cause as the cold wind continued to blow in and howl into the hollow trunk of the tree she took shelter in. It dragged on for hours, not letting up until late the next day. Exhaustion had kicked in and claimed her for a hardly restful sleep.

Back at the hut he could hear movement outside coming from the village. His sharp ears took in the steps and every breath they took. At first he had thought the woman had come back but these steps were most notably heavier and a second set accompanied them. A hushed conversation was occurring outside but he caught every word of it.

“Hurry up and be quiet, we’re almost there.”

“Oh quit it already, sneaking around isn’t something I’m accustomed to you know, unlike you,” the insult almost started an argument but instead the first one must have punched the other hard for it.

“Keep it up and you will regret it if things don’t go as planned,” he warned him before continuing on, coming close to closing the distance to the shack.

“This plan of yours had better work or we will both be in a lot of trouble with no one warming our beds,” he grumbled back.

They reached the door and got prepared to barge in and take her by surprise. They counted down quietly and slammed the door open, jumping on the blanket to subdue the female occupant of the shack. Oddly there wasn’t any struggle and as they pulled it back the found hay and grass stuffed under it. When they heard a dark chuckle of another male they looked up to see they were not alone in the small space.

“I’ve never seen someone attack a pile of hay before. I suppose you were hoping a woman lay there.” The smooth voice had the hair on the back of their necks standing on end. “This must be a result of what could go wrong in this plan of yours,” he drawled on. With his claws showing as he extended his hand out in a threatening gesture he continued on, “don’t think about leaving. As soon as this storm breaks you will be punished.”

When she finally awoke the storm was gone and what was left of the sun’s rays was warming up the land. After crawling back out from her resting place she slowly stretched and took in her surroundings before making her way home, hoping that maybe the stranger would be gone. When she left the tree line she treaded carefully and slowly opened the door to her shack. She poked her head in and found it empty. Releasing the breath she didn’t know she was holding she walked all the way in, shedding her outer clothes before grabbing the blankets and curling back up to sleep.

Entering the village the next day she couldn’t help but notice all the stares and whispers she got. Walking through them she felt self-conscious; she must look like a wreck or something. She approached the first house that she works for and had the surprised face of the lady greeting her. She went about all of her tasks as normal but as she finished them and began to head home the lady of the last home spoke up.

“Ariana dear, have you not heard the news?” She turned around to give the lady her full attention, giving a shake in the negative. “I should be surprised you don’t but I guess no one said anything yet. Ryo is seeking your hand in marriage; he turned down all of the other ladies this morning. There was something else too. Turns out those two boys Leo and Vick had tried to take advantage of you the night of the storm. Our young Lord had caught them and turned them in after the storm broke. What no one understands is where you were.”

Her heart thudded, goosebumps scattered across her arms and her hair stood on end. She couldn’t believe this was all happening. Though she knew someone with bad intentions had been stalking her while she slept in the shack she didn’t know someone would actually try something. The handsome stranger in her hut, she wondered and just knew he had been the young lord. She felt so foolish in hindsight but how was she to know, she is only an orphan and this village has been all she has known. Her attention was then brought back to Ryo, one of the wealthier young men of the village, though he is honorable she did not want to wed him, her life would never be the same. The kind lady had brought her attention back to her asking her where she had been that night. “I had seen a stranger in my home so I left and sought shelter in the forest. I didn’t know he is our Lord, honest.”

“It is okay dear, I was just worried. I wish you would have come here instead; I worry about you being out there by yourself. Well if you marry Ryo then I won’t have to worry about such a thing again. Well dear, enjoy your day and get some more rest, you look worn out.” She waved farewell and slowly made her way back to the shack, grabbing the blankets and heading to a local hot spring to wash her clothes and body.

She didn’t want this, not any of it and she wondered how she can reject him without any repercussions, then again in villages like these they don’t have to get permission. An orphan like her with no parents for him to ask for her hand can just be forced into it. Normally the hot springs would be a quick thing but today she took extra time. Others would have already bathed or will be doing so later. Getting her chores done early really allows her time to do things like this without interruption. Sitting back with a sigh her thoughts drifted and suddenly the reality of everything began hitting her hard. The need to make a decision sooner than later became clear and as she continued on with her day she thought over everything, her mind spinning when she finally began the walk home.

Chapter 2

She should be surprised but how was she to know that Ryo would be at her front door with his horse, waiting for her to come home. She still wasn’t sure how to say no to him or what to do with any scenario that might happen. As she broke the tree line he looked up at her with a smile, watching her slowly make her way to him.

“Ariana, it’s nice to see you looking well today,” he started out. She held her freshly washed blankets folded in her arms, using them as a bit of security blanket from the handsome young man before her. “I would like it if you could join me for dinner. Another storm is moving in and I do have a guest room you can take. After what those two lowlifes tried to pull I would feel more comfortable if you take up the offer. “

There was silence for a few minutes before she gave a shaky, “Yes,” and proceeded to place her blankets inside her home. After that they walked down the hill into the village. His beautiful steed grabbed her attention as they walked, she always admired the horse and never really been up close to him. His coat shined in the dying light and she wished to pet him but felt too shy to ask. Having the horse there to grab her attention helped keep her mind off of the others around her. Ryo walked alongside her and stole glances at her but said nothing, just quietly studied her on their short travel.

After she was seated at the table in his home she let her eyes wander, going over the clean floors and dust free room. She never had any dishes so looking at the silverware and all the dishes she felt at a loss of what to do. It had been ages since she had ever held a glass or spoon. She was taught how to but those days were long gone. Shortly after her eyes began wandering did Ryo come in and seat himself next to her at the head of the table. No one else joined them and he quickly dished himself some food before noticing she looked lost sitting there.

Not one to watch another struggle he stood from his seat and walked around the corner to her side of the table. “Here, how about you tell me what looks good to you and I can dish it out for you,” he offered as he grabbed her plate.

“I’m not really sure what it all is,” she admitted. If she wasn’t so set on having an emergency stash she probably would know but as it is she just kept to the life she knew.

“Would you mind if I just give you a little of everything to try,” he asked and after given an okay to do so he soon had her plate full of food. For a drink she just asked for water and he let her have it her way figuring she most likely has never had a drop of alcohol.

Though clumsy at first she soon sat silently alongside him and kept her eyes trained on her plate, never once looking up unless taking a drink of her water. Not knowing if she was doing anything wrong or right she just did her best to be quiet about it. Ryo chose to keep his amusement to himself; she sat so rigid he bet her back would be parallel with a board. He could tell she wasn’t used to any of this and wondered just what a day in her life would be like. He had always watched her from afar, being part of the village safety unit he patrolled the area a lot but could never figure out where she spent her time or disappeared to. It had been a long time since he had ever seen the carefree smile she used to wear, the same one that had drawn him so long ago.

Though skinny he knew she is strong, and has curves hidden under the bulky layers of the ragged dress she wears. Her eyes sparkled like amethysts and her long wavy locks are darker than the sky at night. Her skin kissed the sun and lips like rose buds, it would be hard to refuse such a beauty. He had always overlooked her lack of parents, he admired her strength and now he will relieve her of her stressful life. Clearing his throat as they finished their meal he offered her his hand and led her out to walk along the path in the small garden out back.

In the distance lightning lit up the clouds and he quietly talked to fill up the silence between them. She politely listened to him but it wasn’t until he spoke about his travels that he truly had her attention. He was a bit surprised she was interested in such things but he carried on until the storm was almost overhead. “-I must say going overseas can be very exciting for the first few days but as soon as seasickness grabs you it is all downhill from there. For days upon days all you see is water and birds, just the same boat, the same people, the same water, and the same sea birds. I learned a lot once I reached land and quickly learned about tradable goods but the trip back was just as much a bore as the trip there. Trust me; with my eyesight I would have been able to spot anything worth seeing. Actually you possibly don’t know this; I have phoenix blood running through my veins, which is where I get my reddish-orange eyes from.”

Things were quiet for a few moments as he gathered his thoughts and watched the storm rolling in. When he finally had what he wanted he looked down at her, clasping her hands as he stared into her sparkling eyes. “Ariana, don’t answer me tonight, just give it some thought, but I would be honored if you would accept my suit and marry me. I know it might be sudden but you would live a good life here with me. I will show you to your room for tonight and then tomorrow after breakfast we can speak more.”

Her mouth opened but nothing came out, she did enjoy herself tonight but it still isn’t what she wanted. She let herself be led to the room he is giving her tonight and after he bid her goodnight she stood by the door awkwardly as her eyes drifted around the room. For the first time in a long time she will sleep in a bed, a nightgown even lay on it for her to change into. A desk with books and writing utensils stood nearby along the wall, a trunk sat at the end of the bed along with a rug. Pictures with flowers were hung on the wall and the longer she stood there the longer it felt foreign to her. Quietly her feet padded over to the bed and she changed into the offered nightgown. After feeling the bed she slipped off her shoes and lay down.

The plush blanket and down feathers in the pillows were a drastic change compared to what she is used to but really she shouldn’t complain that she gets to enjoy this luxury for at least a night. Remembering his mention about breakfast she realized he expected her to still be here and not out doing chores. She didn’t plan on marrying him and didn’t want to lose out on earning more money so she decided that once she awoke she will try to leave immediately, maybe she will be back in time to appear before he realized that she had left.

The gradual change in the light streaming through the windows had roused her from slumber. Though she had felt out of place in such a nice room at first, the comfortable bed had taken a firm hold of her. It had been the best sleep she has had in a long time; it was like sleeping in the clouds. Remembering how they made the bed she did it as neat as possible, laying the nightgown on it after donning her own clothes and shoes. The vanity in the corner allowed her to look at her appearance in the mirror, something she rarely sees. With the sun coming close to breaking over the horizon she turned around and headed out the door.

Not even a full step out the door and she came face to face with Ryo, she couldn’t help the blush that spread across her face, he was just so close. His face held a smirk, he looked like the cat that caught the canary and she supposed that she is the canary. “I had a feeling you would be up trying to head off to work. My dear, you don’t have to worry about doing so today. Get some more rest, I will come get you when breakfast is ready,” he softly demanded. Her eyes had strayed to his chest when she couldn’t look him straight in the eye. She felt his hand grab her chin, pushing it up so she was looking upon his face once more. She had only just registered how close his face had gotten when his soft lips stole her first kiss. He pulled back and left her daze, her fingers touching her lips.

Before she realized what all happened he had successfully guided her back into the guest room and shut the door, leaving her stunned. Instead of sleeping she just lounged on the bed while her thoughts whirled around like leaves in the wind. The sun graced the horizon and showed it glorious ascent to those awake enough to witness it by the time a firm knock came to her door. It effectively cut off her train of thought and after straightening the bed quickly she went to answer it. True to his word he was back again, offering his arm to escort her to the morning meal. Her thoughts raced and she couldn’t find a definite path to take or the words to get her going where she wants her feet to lead her.

The morning meal was a quiet affair, he seemed to understand that not only is she not very talkative but was preoccupied with her own thoughts. He was content with just watching her while she remained oblivious to his attention or the passage of time. As the day went on he kept her preoccupied with spending time with him. He was smart to not let her leave since the chances of her returning are slim to none. The other village girls would think her crazy for not wanting him in the least but she simply did not want to be a housewife, at least not yet. She refuses to believe that this village is all she will know in her life and she certainly wouldn’t settle for it.

After the evening meal she joined him for another walk in the garden. Tonight she will put an end to all of this and continue on her chosen path in life. He led them to a bench by a small pond and finally opened the conversation to what her answer will be. “Now that you have spent a whole day here with me I am open to hearing what your answer is. I hope Ariana, that you make the right decision.”

Swallowing the sudden lump in her throat she collected herself as she gazed at the moon’s reflection in the water. “Ryo, though I do not know you very well personally, I do know that you hold a respectable view in the village’s eyes and are what most of the women and girls in the village hoped to have in a husband. I am sorry but I don’t want to simply become a wife and know that is it for me. I want to travel and see places outside of the village, have an adventure. I’m sure I sound ridiculous but it is what I want and intend to do.”

“I suppose I haven’t done well in showing what I have to offer,” he said before standing. He offered her his hand and took the lead; she soon realized that they are heading back to the guest room. She was a bit confused when she clearly rejected his suit. Once they stood outside the room he spoke up again. “I have longed to have you for some time now, years quite honestly. You may have said no today but I know what dangers there are beyond the borders of this village and I simply refuse to let you walk blindly into them. You might hate me for a while but some day you will thank me for doing this.” He opened her door and she tried to back away but he overpowered her and got her back into the guest room. “You could get yourself raped or killed out there and that is not an option in my book for the woman I love. I’m sorry to do this but it is for the best, I am locking you in and will retrieve you for breakfast. I will give you a couple days to change your mind, after that I will force your hand in marriage; this is your only option. Goodnight, Ariana.”

With her eyes wide open she tried to make it to the door before he could shut and lock it. She yelled at him to open up but after beating on the door and struggling to force it open she realized that the door would not be an option. Wildly she looked around the room she is locked in; her hand clutched her chest as she sought to steady her heart. After a few moments the draft from the window caught her attention. It was a bit high but with the use of one of the chairs she could get out. Listening under it for anyone outside it she made her move when she figured she is in the clear. With the use of the chair from the vanity she toppled out of it making a loud thump on the wooden walkway. A couple lights turned on and realizing she must have been found out she quickly got up and ran, sprinting through town hearing the yells and a few neighs from a horse. She ran into her rundown shack, grabbing her book and blankets before disappearing into the darkness of the forest.

Chapter 3

He called after her along with a few others but she didn’t dare let up or she may never be able to leave. When they began to lose her she could hear them call for someone to get a dog to track her down. She quickly made her way to her little glen, the horses had slowed them down and that gave her time to gather food and the money she had saved up. Ariana scrambled with getting the tarp off of her garden, quickly grabbing the fruit and vegetables before scurrying over to the roots of the tree and getting her sum of earnings. Hearing a dog barking in the distance she tied her earnings up into the blankets before throwing it on to the food and bunching it up into a bundle that she could run with.

Gathering it up Ariana ran deeper into the forest as the shouting and barking got closer. She didn’t let up in her run and didn’t have time to regret anything as she continued on. She could only be grateful for the full moon and clear sky for aiding in her escape. Her feet pounded on the ground as she carried on in any direction that took her away from the village. She didn’t know how long they would pursue her or how far he would go so she just kept on going.

When the sounds of barking began gaining on her she realized they must have let the dog loose so it could hold her down. Out running a dog was not something very humanly possibly but still she carried on, she refused to go back now and would certainly fight tooth and nail if it came down to it. She could hear him shout, “I see her,” and she panicked, it gave her an extra adrenaline rush that had her running blindly. Her knees were not ready for the decline with the steep hill she began to run down. They buckled and she toppled down the rest of the way, barely managing to keep a hold of things. After gathering her wits when she stopped rolling she scrambled to get up and continue. Instead of going straight Ariana noticed that it was steeper off to the left and ran that way. It would be harder for them to come after her on the horses so she might gain ground so long as she can stay ahead of the dog.

It was hard keeping her footing in all of the wet leaves and the wet ground underneath. She wasn’t sure if it might be doing her a favor or not but she didn’t reflect on it much. Ariana went down the other steep slope more carefully and took off again, jumping over the small stream at the bottom and carrying on. Every time she thought that she might have lost them she would hear a bark followed by a shout. When the horses began to whinny she figured they must already be at the slope. The trees and undergrowth were a blur to her peripherals; she didn’t even realize her own speed, just focused on invisible points as she ran.

The terrain was foreign to her, she had never gone so far from the village and had no clue as to what lay in this direction but the hope to somehow lose them and pass some invisible boundary that they won’t cross kept her going but she also knew that it was only wishful thinking. When the noises from her pursuers grew faint her adrenaline slowly started to fade before leaving her all at once. Ariana collapsed to her knees gasping for air before she stood on wobbly knees. Her steps were weak but steady, her stamina pushed to the max right then.

As luck would have it she came to a cliff and stood there feeling overcome with hopelessness. Her eyes looked around trying to finding something to aid her escape and get down the steep wall of rock. They latched on to a branch that extended over the ledge. Ariana walked over to it and looked at it skeptically. Hearing them gaining ground on her she made a split decision and tossed her bag down by the base of the tree before grabbing hold of the branch. She didn’t even test its strength before she let her feet leave solid ground. She swung them up and on the second try she successfully wrapped them around the branch. Slowly she made her way across the branch, her hair tumbling down as she hung from it. One hand after another, she steadily closed the eight foot length until she would reach the trunk and be able to climb down the mostly bare pine tree. The sap got stuck to her skin and clothes but it also helped her get a better grip.

Her feet felt the branches as she climbed down. Although they were not thick and sturdy, the flexible limbs still bore her weight and gave her steady access to climb all the way down to the bottom where she could easily reach the ground. She had to duck under branches and gather up her belongings before crawling out from under them, her hair getting stuck and caught numerous times. She heard them above her and looked up. They were looking down straight at her, ignoring their shouts she broke off the twig her hair was currently caught in and quickly made it back to her feet ignoring the pain from the numerous scrapes and cuts she began to feel burning.

Her once lethargic muscles were lit with fire as another rush of adrenaline pumped through her veins. She heard him shout, “This way,” and realized he must know a way around the cliff. They went left and she went right, keeping as much ground as she possibly could. They grew distant but she wouldn’t be an idiot and think she is in the clear, with a dog in their possession she knew that any ground gained could be quickly lost. The forest thinned out and she was able to sprint in a mostly straight line as she focused on what lay ahead.

In her book of collected tales she had read about quick getaways and the ones that will take a lot more effort. Her breath came out labored as she remembered how her imagination would soar as she imagined herself as the heroine swinging from vines in a jungle. Something she did learn in her reading is that water can be your best friend if you are trying escape when being tracked by foot and that memory came about as she could see the shallow river ahead. She ran along the bank before stopping. Behind her it forked off and with a split decision she crossed the stream and ran in the water switching directions when she reached the riverbank, running along it and took the fork right. Ariana ran with all her might as she heard them coming, she needed to be out of his sight and the hearing range of the dogs if this would truly work.

She pumped her legs, pushing them to go faster as she splashed through the water, going around the bend but she didn’t stop there, even if it does work she knew it would only buy her so much time before they would realize she fooled the dogs. The path she lead them off went straight and once he realized that she couldn’t be out of sight that fast he will find a way to track her down. Hearing them splash in the water she waded into the water and ducked down until she heard them take off in her false trail. With no time to waste she went back to shore and ran with all her power.

The sky grew lighter and before she knew it she had run the majority of the night with few breaks. Her false trail had worked better than she had hoped and after running for an uncertain amount of time she finally took a short break and stretched her muscles, getting a much needed drink from the river before she walked a ways. She had yet to hear them in a long time and though she wondered if they gave up she didn’t stop. She kept moving and will do so for as long as she felt the need.

... Skipping ahead ...

Chapter 4

That night she didn’t sleep, she took few breaks and followed the path without stopping for a break more than twice. Her feet hurt from all the blisters and abuse but the thought of Ryo forcing her into a marriage that she didn’t want was more than enough to keep her moving. Even when the sun graced the sky she kept moving. Sleeping now would have to be out of the question. She didn’t find a village that day and after following another merchant path she figured it would be wise to go another route at the next possible chance.

The day had gone by without a single village in sight and she trekked through another night. It wasn’t until midday that she passed through one. It had little to offer so she just walked right through it and continued on. Hearing the sounds of hoofs and a dog bark she looked behind her seeing Ryo gaining on her fast once again. She had only two options, try to reach the fast paced river before him and let it carry her downstream possibly to her death or dart into the woods. Just as she was about to bolt off someone literally landed right in front of her. She started to back pedal when they grabbed her arm.

Looking up she felt like she recognized those teal eyes but couldn’t place them. The nice clothes suggested someone of wealth and she couldn’t fathom a reason as to why they would have anything to do with her. Quite abruptly they spoke, “I can help you escape if you promise to not scream.”

Slick Roads and City Lights

Slick roads glistening with oil and water bounced off reflections of the city lights. Traffic splashed through puddles along a major road but all of that was left forgotten as a young woman looked at the map she was using to find her destination. She folded it back up and got out her phone, checking the time and continuing her walk with a messenger bag hung over her shoulder, bumping against her hip with each bounce of her steps. Black wavy hair fluttered and blew around lightly as she hurried up. She made her way through the small side street, it was more so an alley way than anything but houses were still lined up along it. Bicycles chained to the street lights and mopeds too. It was only misting out with a slight fog but it was enough to still bring her chills at every step she took in the ominous looking street.

She crossed an adjacent street and entered another skinny road, keeping pace; as she let her eyes adjust from the brightness of the road she crossed to the darkness of the dimly lit path, glancing up at the tall buildings lining up and down both sides with the back doors facing her, sitting on top of the short stairs. Looking through the mist she could see several figures in front of her making her pause and slow her hurried steps. All of the voices were distinctly male and none of them sounded like they were in a friendly mood. She bit her lip and nibbled in thought, thinking about slowly backing away from the group of men ahead of her. That plan went out the window when she heard a car screech to a halt behind her and more guys coming out of it. She hoped that maybe she could just walk around them and be left alone. She had nothing to do with whatever argument that was taking place so she hoped they would see it that way too.

With nowhere left to go but forward she took uncertain steps turning to go around them on the right side and not do anything to draw attention to her. The other men began making racket behind her as they ran up behind her and stopped. All eyes were now fixed in her direction and suddenly she realized the other guys were stopped behind her and only the light breeze could be heard. Her blood ran cold, she bit her lip hard as she attempted to remain quiet and she grabbed the smaller handle of her messenger bag in preparation of fleeing but she knew that was ridiculous. The guys all looked really fit and even though she herself is, she is sure one of them would be faster than her if it even went that far.

July 31, 2015

I published my first book on Smashwords. it is called "Beg" with the characters Liam and Miu. On here it is Gaara and Kagome. Minus minor changes it is essentially the same story but you guys read it free here :-)

Started WordPress blog account. This will mostly focus on writing, crafting, and business along with a dash of motherhood.

www . romancewithwriting . wordpress . com

August 9, 2015

A thus Far untitled story sneak peek. This is my next eBook that I will have available for pre-order. The first chapter the second chapter are subject to change but a free preview will be available once it is released.

2015 T. L. Woodruff

Chapter 1

The clicking of a keyboard sounds in the quiet of a high rise office. This is the office of Chase Trent the CEO of Trent Corporation the business he inherited after working so hard. The twinkling stars and city lights were already shining outside his glass walls to the Trent Tower. A knock came to the espresso wood door before it opened to show the thicker build and darker features of his elder brother that recently returned from serving in the military overseas. With a glance up he made a few clicks of his mouse saving his work and then turning his attention to him.

“I’m proud of how hard you work Chase but don’t you think it is late enough for you to turn in for the night. It is already eleven at night,” he stood up at the front of his desk. “We only worked this hard in the military during threats and war, you are well aware of that I am sure.”

Kiel Trent, he could have been the one to inherit the company but he chose to continue on with the military whereas Chase served two years and then focused on learning the business and trained his body with the gym and mixed martial arts. Neither is known for loosening up much, if anything Kiel is the more laidback one of them but is also a captain. With a year leave he chose to return back to the family business to help his younger brother and for lack of anything to do. “I have an important meeting with a client in a couple days. After I am done with that I will have more than enough time to relax.”

Kiel ran a hand through his hair, he knows that his brother will not stop until he is done and satisfied, that is just the way his brother is. “Well I know it is already useless to get you out tonight but after this meeting stuff is done you should come out with me and the guys from base. It has been a while since you have mingled and had a life.”

Chase thought about it a little and knew his brother is right; he hasn’t been out in a long time. At twenty-eight years old he has spent a lot of his years not having much of a life. Went into the military right out of high school and was already started in on taking online business classes in his last year with them. He finished his duty then went straight into college and the family business preparing to take it over when his dad decides he wants to step down and enjoy life. “Just let me know where you will be going in a few nights, like Thursday or Friday,” he replied after thinking about getting in a couple nights of rest first instead of going out right away.

“That’s more like it. I will see you tomorrow, get some rest tonight… hopefully in your bed,” he looked over at the couch in his office; his brother is known for sleeping there at times. “Goodnight,” he headed on out the door.

“Goodnight Kiel,” he watched the door close behind him then went back to work.

Early the next morning he freshened up in the showers to his company gym after a workout. As his brother figured he went to sleep on the couch for about five hours and now he is in the already packed coffee shop. Normally he gets coffee from the nice break room but today he needs something a lot stronger and would like some mint green tea to go along with it. That morning he wasn’t real sure what compelled him to do this but as the bell ringed in a new customer he looked over seeing a young woman about his age holding open the door to a mom trying to usher out her three children with a Frappuccino in hand.

“Thank you,” the woman called over her shoulder and headed out to her parallel parked mini-van.

With a light smile to her lips and shine in her eyes the young woman walked on in the coffee shop after calling after her, “Have a nice day!” She was dressed professionally with waves in her dark hair and light makeup on her pretty face and drawing out her stunning eyes. He sees plenty of attractive women every day and even in his office but somehow she just stood out from all the rest. Watching her get into a different line he turned around to face the front of his line not wanting to get caught staring. If this was Kiel he would have gone straight up to her and began talking, likely getting a number in the process but as it is he doesn’t have nearly such luck or more like the social skills and right amount of flirtation to pull it off this early in the morning or sober.

By the time he ordered his drinks and received them she was already up at the register ordering and soon being handed two steaming cups as well. Tightening his jaw he looked around trying to think of how he could approach her. When he looked back she was already walking out the door on the other side of the building, his chance gone. It was possible he could try and catch her here again but it won’t be in the next couple days.

Papers piled up on to his desk until he finally got them organized and all of his files set into a good presentation on power point. Every time he looked at his empty cups from the coffee shop he thought about that young woman. For now he can’t think about her it is already the night before this big meeting with a high end flower corporation, one of his biggest local clients. After this is taken care of he will think of a way to strike up a conversation with her the next time he catches her. With no spare suit to use he had to pack up and head to his high rise loft that he can see from his office window several city blocks away. Tomorrow is another day of business, one he cannot ignore.

“Hello Mr. Trent,” the front receptionist greeted him.

“Good morning Jennifer,” he called back and went right into the waiting elevator pressing the button to go straight to the top floor. Coffee was already heavy in his system but it was exactly what he needs to already be here this early with only an hour to spare before he needs to be set and ready in the meeting room. The closest thing he has to an assistant is his brother, not really needing one at this point so he set the room up himself with pitchers of water iced down with a couple slices of lemon and cucumber, something this specific client enjoys. The laptop was brought out after the cups were set out and the large TV connected through an HDMI cord, something he personally added to the meeting room after having enough issues with projectors over the years. A large canister of coffee was already being filled up; the cups face down on their saucers. Fifteen minutes before the start of the meeting he could see the room filling up with a few of his managers getting all set for the clients to come in.

BUZZ

Walking over to the intercom he pressed a button and said, “Yes?”

“Your clients are here, Mr. Kiel is leading them up for you,” the receptionist notified him.

“Thank you,” he responded then took a couple quick minutes in the restroom. Walking back in Chase logged back into his laptop, the presentation already on the screen when his brother walked in.

“Chase I have Mrs. Shen here,” he brought his attention to the door as the Chinese woman walked in wearing a rose red suit, hair done up as always and looking just like the successful business woman she is.

“Greetings Mrs. Shen,” he walked on over and she nodded politely at him.

Mrs. Shen’s slight accent came through as she greeted him in return, “Good morning Mr. Trent. You and your brother both look like you’re doing well. I want to inform you I don’t have my usual assistant, Mai is on leave with the babies. She gave birth a week ago Wednesday,” she stepped aside, “I would like you to meet Keira; she is filling in for her temporarily.”

His jaw about hit the floor, he couldn’t believe his luck when her temporary assistant stepped up giving him a bow and turned out to be the very woman he had seen at the coffee shop. “Hello Keira,” he stumbled to figure out what else to say, “you must be a great assistant to be working for such a good company like Mrs. Shen’s.” It wasn’t how he wished to start things off but now he has her first name and where she is working, at least for now. He can work with this; it will just take some thinking to figure out what to do with that information.

“Thank you for the compliment Mr. Trent, it is nice to meet you,” she replied trying not to blush at the compliment from the handsome man.

Mrs. Shen continued on to her seat then leaving Keira to follow after. His eyes followed her movements around the room as she filled up their cups and sat back down getting everything organized. Once everyone was situated he started the meeting and turned their attention to the screen filled with graphs and information showing the profit margins and the forecasted sales in the future based on the previous quarters. Keira remained diligent in her work of taking notes and underlining sections in the packets he handed them. Every time her blue eyes connected with his or focused on him in general he would feel his blood heat up and pulse begin to race. Usually she would shyly look away from his hazel green eyes or divert her attention.

Keeping their focus as much as possible through the meeting it ended before midday and he had begun to hope it would be longer so he could offer to take them out for lunch with his brother or even order something, just anything that would have kept her there longer and allowed them to converse even if only a little. His managers were the first to depart along with Mrs. Shen and Keira. The good news is he has another meeting with them at her office this Wednesday.

Relaxing back in his chair he was more than pleased with the turn out of this day and that meeting. No one will be able to wipe away the small smile from his face as he watched the sky change colors until darkness fell and he headed home at a decent hour for the first time this week. Wednesday will be his next chance to interact with her or at least study her and figure out if she is available, not already in some commitment. Jacket slung over his shoulder with one hand and briefcase in the other he exited the elevator and went to the parking garage elevator across the way in the front reception area.

“Another good day Mr. Trent,” he was greeted by Keira in the reception area which only served to make him feel even better.

“It is Keira,” she gave him a slightly bigger smile.

“Follow me right this way,” she led him to the elevators and he took in the flattering black pencil skirt and matching top with the light grey blouse underneath. Her heels clicked along the floor and he fought to bring up something of conversation but he was unprepared to be greeting her first thing like this. Having a few valuable minutes ticking by was irritating as they reached the elevator with mirrored walls that prevented him from being able to sneak a few glances at her.

“How long have you been working for Mrs. Shen,” he asked and wondered if she will be sticking with the company by taking a different position after this one is finished.

“For three months now, my first one was training and then Mai left during her seventh month of pregnancy since she was heavy with twins. She is going to come in with the twins either today or tomorrow,” she felt excited to be seeing the twins and able to see Mai, a really sweet woman.

Chase said, “I will have to send her a congratulatory gift after she comes back.”

Trying to not be nervous she replied, “That would be really nice of you.” How on Earth is a guy just not much older than her the head of such a large company and why does he have to be so handsome with his dark hair, lightly tanned skin, and hazel green eyes? If not for the focus she has on her job that she really needs then she likely would have swooned and been tempted to flirt but the two businesses have a contract, it wouldn’t be right.

The elevator dinged showing their arrival and he followed her to Mrs. Shen’s office to finish the last pieces of the meeting and get papers signed. It didn’t take that long for most of the work to be done. Keira moved in and out of the office with anything they needed and every time he thought Mrs. Shen was distracted he was getting an eyeful of her assistant. After being by her desk so much he noticed the same coffee cups from the coffee shop which meant he might be able to run into her there but she might be in a rush to get off to work. Maybe he can invite her to lunch at that time? Then again… it might not be such a good idea being this is the assistant to one of his clients. She has beauty, kindness, and brains, all of them just attracted him to her more.

‘It is only a temporary position that will only last a few months more, I could still pursue her and not damage the relationship between the companies so long as I am careful,’ he started weighing the pros and cons even though he already has his mind mostly made up. If he waits then she could be gone and he won’t be able to find her or another could get her attention and that would make it even harder. By the end of the meeting it was late morning but not her lunch period so he headed on back to his office grabbing food on the way. Chase walked on into the building determined to get as much work done as possible so he can join his brother the next night for drinks and maybe catch Keira in the morning at the coffee shop. Friday will hopefully be a good day for him.

Chapter Two

Two days of work had passed. He went to bed early on Thursday and was up early Friday at the coffee shop looking at a business magazine while watching the customers. He spent over an hour there but she didn’t show. Disappointed he headed on into work with a new order in hand. Not long after exiting the doors of the elevator to his floor was he joined by his brother.

“Chase are you coming out tonight,” he felt determined to get his brother out for at least a couple hours.

“Where are you going and when,” he asked Kiel. A couple drinks tonight wouldn’t be that bad of an idea.

“That bar just up the block from your place,” he responded, it is a common place for some of the military guys to hang out at. “I will be there around nine o’clock.”

“I will be there,” he headed on into his office and sat down at the desk tapping his pen a couple times. Eyes taking on a far off look he knew next week he will have to try and catch her at the coffee shop again.

Kiel was leaning on his brother’s door noticing that Chase seems troubled by something. “What is on your mind?”

Glancing up at him he wasn’t sure if he felt like sharing he is attracted to someone and then she turns out to be the temporary assistant to Mrs. Shen. “It is nothing for now. Work shouldn’t take me long today, I will probably be done by four and head home after working out.”

“See you later then. Let’s grab lunch together; we haven’t done that in a long time either.” Kiel turned to leave on pausing to hear his brother’s response.

“Sure, come by when you are hungry,” he watched Kiel nod and walk away.

The day passed by quickly and with a good workout at the gym he headed on home to shower. Washing off the grime from the day with his bar of soap still thinking about Keira. ‘It has been ages since I have dated or thought about seeing someone.’ He rubbed the bar of soap over his torso feeling it run over his abs leaving suds in their wake. The grey stone of his shower was splashed with the water and suds as he scrubbed his hair and began washing off until he turned it off. A black bath mat was waiting for him on the pristine white marble floor when he stepped out and wiped the moisture from the mirror and turned on the fans. His dark hair looked black as he began running a comb through it after toweling the extra moisture out of it. Checking for stubble he found his skin still smooth from the shave this morning. Adding cologne hints of cologne to his skin he began slicking the hair on top of his head forward, giving it a couple spritz of gel to hold it in place. With immaculately white teeth and unscented deodorant he tossed his towel into the hamper and went into his wardrobe trying to find something more casual to wear.

Suit after suit lined his wardrobe along with his collection of ties and nice shoes. It has really been a while since he has shopped for regular clothes outside of the lounge clothing he has for days at home, usually when he is sick or the business is closed for some holiday. ‘I can’t show up to a place looking like I just came from work,’ his bottom lip tugged down until he ended up settling for black slacks and shoes with a button down blue top. Rolling the cuffs up his forearms and leaving the top buttons undone it was as casual as he could get for now. The final pieces to his outfit were his black belt and smart watch as he set his wallet in his back pocket.

The clock in his room showed 8:49 p.m. and that was his cue to head on out. He owns the entire 19th floor so he had an elevator at the end of the hallway to use as his way to get up and down if not the stairs on days that he is overly ambitious. With a ding he headed on down and was soon out on the street going to the bar at the lower level of a hotel in this ritzy area of the downtown. Lights were flashing from the dancefloor of the place as the beat could be heard from all the way down the street by him. Although this is the place, it is big and accommodates for both the mellower crowd and the wilder crowd. The bouncer let him right in after a quick show of his I.D. as the man was likely oblivious to who he is but it suited him fine, he thankfully escapes the press quite often unless he attends an event, then he will end up in the papers, quite often the front page or on some big headline of a magazine.

“Chase over here,” his brother waved him over to an area where he is standing around hanging out with his buddies. Making his way he greeted everyone with a quick shake and introductions. “Glad to see you made it,” he patted his little brother on the back.

“A drink sounded good,” he scanned the place. “I will be right back I haven’t ordered anything yet,” he excused himself and went on over to the bar getting an old fashioned then headed back over to his brother after leaving his tab open. “Everyone having a good night,” he asked.

“Yeah but Chase didn’t you have a pair of jeans to wear, “ Kiel asked him as he noticed his brother still looked sharply dressed, only lacking the tie and jacket to complete the look of working in an office.

“I thought I did but didn’t see any,” he glanced at their outfits seeing the designer clothes you would see at the mall including polo’s and button ups but they all wore jeans and more casual shoes rather than black slacks and polished shoes like him.

Shaking his head, he wouldn’t know when the last time it was that he dressed casually in public, he only sees him in casual attire when he is lounging around his bachelor pad. “If you plan on talking to any ladies tonight you might want to look approachable and not like you are about ditch out and go back to work,” he suggested.

“I don’t know Kiel,” a buddy spoke up, this guy being Liam Jacobs, “he might attract the ladies more because he looks so sharp and nowhere near broke. Then again if they recognize him they will definitely know he is nowhere near broke,” a few of the other guys agreed.

“I guess we will have to see,” he eyed the ladies that just came in. “Didn’t a few of you have dates coming here tonight or something?”

“I have a girlfriend coming with her ladies,” Liam replied, his golden blonde reflecting the lights spinning around on the dance floor twenty feet away.

Ricky, a guy with a bad boy look, a definite Italian scanned all the newcomers coming in. “Mine isn’t a date, she is more like Chase, a workaholic. I think she had to work late tonight but will be trying to freshen up before she makes her way over here. Been catching her for breakfast and lunch before I take off again but I wanted her to come out and act her age for one night at least, maybe even get a boyfriend.”

“She cute,” Kiel asked.

“Gorgeous, a total babe who has been doing nothing but working since her dad died. I think he had some kind of debt; I’m not really sure, she won’t talk about it or let anyone help. She was supposed to be traveling the world on an internship but a couple months before she was going to be leaving she turned it down, now all she does is work.” He sighed and looked at the door wondering just when she is going to finally show up, it was already half after nine and he really couldn’t believe she could still be at the office. “You will see when she gets here. If I don’t see her here by ten I am marching over to that damn office and finding a way to drag her butt out of there,” he swore even though he knows breaking into a building like that could result into the police coming and him being kicked out of the military.

“Good thing I can just walk into Chase’s office and drag him out,” he grinned over to his brother. “I have another six months until I am supposed to leave so that is enough time to get my brother to build an actual life outside of the office.”

Shaking his head at his older brother’s antics he had a feeling that meant he will be asking to go out drinking more. He was nearing the end of his drink so he tossed the rest down his throat and headed on over to get a refill. “Be right back,” he left for a few minutes but when he returned the girls that had recently come in were over there socializing with the other guys.

“Girls this is my little brother Chase,” his brother introduced and a few of the girls eyed him like he is the candy in a candy shop. “He is single and needs to loosen up,” he mockingly whispered to them as a few giggled.

“It would be hard to not know who you two are,” a coy strawberry blonde said as she looked over at them with her smoky eyes.

The red head looked at them too with her green eyes, “I would say, you are only in all of the articles about the most eligible bachelors.”

Chase could really care less and he had no clue what else any of those papers would say. Rather than respond to a conversation he has little interest in he took a couple sips of his drink to keep away from being any more uncomfortable than he already is. Sliding on over to him he found the brunette with the pixy style haircut and a streak of purple clinging to his arm. “I read you also served in the military and now you are the owner of Trent Corporation. You are both strong and wealthy,” she batted her eyes flirtatiously.

He felt like tearing his grip from her but thankfully he was saved by the bell in the form of his ringtone chiming urgently. “Excuse me I need to take this,” he pulled his arm from her, handed his drink to Kiel and walked away on the phone then right out the door so he can hear and have privacy. Part of him thought about ditching the rest of the night but instead he said, “Hello this is Chase.”

“Mr. Chase sir, this is Mikey from the IT department. We have an intrusion on the website, the whole thing is crashed…”

Kiel looked at his brother just a little disappointed but then again these girls are about to chase his brother Chase from what could be a good night. They are obviously not into him for anything deeper, just going off of what anyone knows. “Well there he goes… back to work. I will be surprised if he comes back in that door and orders another drink.”

“So he is like always working then? All work and no play,” the blonde looked in the direction he went pulling her bottom lip into her mouth.

“Yeah basically,” he thought this might be a good thing if they set their sights on someone else because of that tidbit of information.

“I could live with that,” she suddenly looked confident and flirtatious once again making Kiel cringe as he could almost see this chick or any of them having a guy on the side to ‘please’ them in other aspects.

The brunette had an almost devious smirk, “Yeah he is like totally hot.”

Chase was outside on the phone for over fifteen minutes before he came back in and gave his brother the universal sign for ‘just a minute’ as he continued on over to the bathroom and was in there for another few minutes. By the time he got out the ice cubes in his drink were half the size they were but he took it back and began drinking anyways. “Thanks Kiel.”

“No problem,” he responded.

Just then Ricky walked up and said, “Okay now that I’m back who is up for a shot,” he gestured with his head to the shot girl coming over with several of the same kind. A round of cheers was made before they enjoyed tossing back the liquid and feeling the oddly pleasant burn down their throats.

Looking at his second old fashioned as he took longer sips trying to find something more enjoyable to do then be by these women making him feel like a juicy steak in front of a bunch of hyenas. It was then he did a double take as he looked at the bar. ‘Could it really be,’ he eyed the petite form sitting in grey dress slacks with a cream top and a cross body purse, wavy hair tumbling down her back. He was stuck in mid sip when she turned her head slightly to order a new drink; it was then that he knew for sure. “I will be back in a while,” he half mumbled still trying to get over his luck.

“Wait Chase,” Kiel called to him, “where are you going?” He tried to follow him with his eyes when he noticed who his brother is looking too intently at.

Ricky noticed and turned while the women looked displeased. “You two wouldn’t happen to know Keira would you?”

“Keira,” he mumbled as the name sounded familiar somehow. Eyeing up who his brother just sat next to on a barstool he recognized her just barely. “Wait she is that assistant...”

“Yeah, my workaholic friend who is now talking to your workaholic brother, she is resting her feet after hiking on over here after being in those heels all day,” they looked at the shiny black heels she discarded under her stool. “Wouldn’t they make quite the pair? I guess your brother has a thing for my friend or something,” he shrugged his shoulders and tossed back the rest of his drink. “Be fine with me so long as they are good for one another.”

“Yeah I guess so,” he thought about the two but felt concerned with her being the assistant to one of their clients. ‘I sure hope he knows what he is doing,’ Kiel thought.

“Keira,” he sat down on the barstool next to her and caught her attention. “I thought I recognized you,” he watched her nearly spit out her drink at seeing him but managed to catch it in time.

“MMr. Trent,” she stuttered out not expecting to see him at the same bar.

It was a little amusing but he wanted to have this be as casual as he can hopefully make it. “Just call me Chase; it is a little odd at times being addressed the same way as my brother and father when they are around.”

“Oh they are here as well,” she began feeling even more nervous as anything she does would reflect back on to Mrs. Shen. ‘Ricky isn’t likely to be happy with me ditching out so soon but I can’t take a risk like this, I’m a total klutz at times.’

Unfortunately she looked nervous now after his attempt at being casual. “My brother is, not my father. He retired and went off to see the world,” he wasn’t sure what to do she has looked towards the door three times in under a minute, a clear indication that she is ready to bolt out the door at the first chance. “Did you come out on a date or to meet someone here,” he wasn’t sure if maybe she is already seeing someone.

She glanced towards Ricky who was flirting with some girls that are all dressed up. “I have a friend here that is leaving town soon. He just wanted me to come out for a little while after work today.” The more time ticked by the more she felt like anything could happen that would jeopardize the contract between the two companies and her position, along with any future work. “I should be heading out, it’s getting late and I have work tomorrow. Nice seeing you Mr.-Chase,” she just barely caught herself.

Surprised that she is trying to make a quick departure he put a hand on hers hoping to stall her. His night was just starting to look up; he doesn’t want this chance wasted. “Do you really have to go so soon? I thought you just got here,” he felt certain of that.

“Uh-I,” she stumbled around and wasn’t sure what to say as she half sat on the barstool. “Not really I guess… it’s just,” she felt so nervous and wasn’t sure what to do.

“Is it because of work then,” he guessed.

“Well yes-,” she really doesn’t want to offend him or give more away.

She is single it sounds like, now he is more confident that he can pursue her. “Don’t worry about it. You’re only there temporarily right?”

“Yeah, for a few more months,” she began to sit back down a little.

Chase took another sip of his drink and glanced towards his brother seeing the girls get a little bored of them and Liam’s girlfriend come in with more classy women rather than what had been by them. A couple of those women were glancing his way but now that he has better company it felt easier to ignore them. “Will you join me for at least one drink,” he could feel her nervously watching him.

Keira already knows the answer, what else could she say so she doesn’t offend him? Nodding her head she tried to think about all the etiquette material in her hiring packet. Technically she shouldn’t be even speaking to him without her boss knowing or around to hear what is being discussed. “Are you having a nice night,” it was a lame question but she really couldn’t think of anything better at this point. Just barely could she catch a whiff of his cologne, it smelled really nice and suited him. Sort of has a calming feeling like the kind that makes you want to cuddle up on the couch.

“It has been nice. I was able to finish up work with time to spare before coming out tonight on my brother’s request. He appears to be enjoying himself,” he looked over there seeing him flirting with a brunette lady with elegant curls.

She looked over and spotted the man who had escorted them to the meeting. Kiel, the older brother to Chase but apparently didn’t want to inherit the family business. He looks like a good guy and from the tattoo and company he keeps she guessed he must be military as well being Ricky said that he is hanging out with a few buddies from base. “Must be a small world,” her voice so soft that he barely caught what she said. “I had no idea my friend knows your brother or would be here tonight with you two.”

“Would you have not come then,” he asked. Again she didn’t want to offend but honesty might be best. “It’s okay,” he said, “I can understand why you’re nervous but I’m not nearly so. It crossed my mind that talking to you might be frowned upon by your boss but we can just keep this between us. Just don’t let others know who you work for.” He chanced a look over at those women in particular and noticed the blonde and brunette looked ready to come over and interrupt them. “Would you by chance want to go to a more private area,” he quickly asked wanting to get away before they do come over.

“Uh I guess that would be fine,” she could hear in his tone that something has him eager to get going.

“Thanks,” he grabbed their drinks and waited long enough for her to grab her shoes before leading them away from the area and hopefully dissuade any disruptions. Going off to a corner and finding a circle booth they sat down after he let her scoot in. This spot will hopefully help her feel more at ease as they go away from where anyone else is and just focus on having a drink together. Setting her drink down he took a sip of his as nerves set in with the realization he is now alone with the very woman he has been crushing on all week. Looking over at her he asked, “Are you comfortable?” It would be worse if he just made her feel isolated and now he could feel his palms get sweaty in anxiousness over that thought. Give him a meeting or a business to run and he can do it but it has been years since he has attempted dating… his previous girlfriend grew fed up with him always studying for school or basically shadowing his father while being groomed for taking over the business. If he screwed up a relationship because of his tendencies to focus more on work than his girlfriend, is he going to mess things up with her too? Then he remembered she is a workaholic that only has a temporary position. In a couple months he will be stressing over where she will be working next and if it will even be around here or in another city. He almost felt doomed but he has a couple months until he needs to really worry about her leaving and then again things might not work out between them. ‘Stop stressing and just focus,’ he nearly spat at himself as he realized they have been quiet for a while.

“I am fine but was something wrong back there, it felt like you were in a hurry,” she inquired and began to notice he now looks nervous and has been tapping a finger on his glass ever since he finished taking a sip from his drink.

Taking a look over his shoulder to see if they followed he found his vision limited but clear of those women. “Yeah everything is okay,” he turned to her and decided to ask, “How would you feel being eyed up by the opposite sex like a piece of juicy steak, seeing a bunch of vultures ready to tear into your wallet?”

The simple revelation hit her and she suddenly found him easier to be around and see in a more down-to-earth light. “I guess it can be easy to almost dehumanize someone that appears to be on the top of the food chain,” she gave a meek smile while relaxing more as her sore feet wished she would rub or soak them.

Keira felt almost like a breath of fresh air as he knows there are some out there that he holds as being larger than life. Actors and actresses would be some of the few, they always seem to be off having some glorious life living it up while he remains behind a desk in an office with a view he has seen hundreds of times if not thousands. “Yes, we can all learn to step back and remember we’re all only human. I was just thinking of how I have that tendency to see celebrities in Hollywood in a similar way. They appear to have this wonderful life as they go from one location to the next shooting films and going to all of the hottest events of the year like the red carpet. For New Year’s I might attend a charity ball but it is still all business and I often have to step out when problems arise. Running a business this large means you have to be on call 24/7 and the only vacation I take is actual sick days or when the family gets together. I have a tendency to forget it isn’t all just glamour for the celebrities too since they are literally selling themselves every second they are in front of the public or a camera.”

Blinking owlishly she felt her jaw go a little slack as she gained an insight to what his life is like, not much different than hers since she is technically on call for her boss. “I never really thought about all of that. I’m sure it is a far heavier load than what I do. Do you think Mrs. Shen has the same hitches too then?”

“I’m sure of it. She has been the power force behind that company for years and is a strong person to have been able to do so for so long. You have a good person to work under and study more closely than most do.” He studied all of the most important clients in the area first then expanded out and worked his way down the list while refreshing his knowledge when events and meetings come up. It can be hard to keep on top of things all the time and he has certainly made his mistakes but thankfully the internet is making things easier for him.

“Yeah you’re right,” she smiled and took a long sip from her drink. “Is this business what you have always wanted to do?”

“No not always, I had my childish dreams of being a professional skydiver and things like that, even went into the military for a couple years but the second year I began studying for my bachelors in business after my brother decided on having a military career rather than take over the business. I became interested and knew my father would like to step down in his younger days and live life a little so that partially spurred me on. Not long after I finished my bachelors did I start questioning my path but continued on to my masters while shadowing my father at work. The girlfriend I had at that time left, she was unhappy with me being busy most of the time and tired the other part. Even when I was awake and with her my mind was elsewhere, not fully focusing on our relationship. When she left I thought about leaving the business to get her back but it became clear we just wouldn’t have worked out so I dived back into my work, graduated, and then became the CEO. It isn’t really my dream but I am good at it,” he surprised her with the longer answer that was more in depth than what she thought a person of his level would give to someone they only recently met.

‘Dreams huh,’ she thought and swirled her drink around, ‘does anyone really get to live their dream and is it what they hope it to be?’ She put any thought of having her own dreams down the drain because it will be a long time until she can get anywhere near having one. Having a dream and not able to go after it would only hurt her already deflated outlook on the future. “Maybe someday you can go after your dream or find one to pursue,” she said and found it to be a nice enough thought.

“Maybe someday,” he smiled a little over at her seeing the distracted look on her face as she thought about something, most likely dreams. “Do you have any?”

“No not really,” she squashed any straggling thoughts about them.

Studying her he wasn’t sure if she is even being honest with herself giving him that answer. “We are both still young,” he finished his drink and checked hers. “This one is on me,” he went on up to the bar ordering what they were both drinking before returning to the table with them just as she finished her second drink. Striking up a conversation after asking where she went to college they began to share a few laughs when he asked her for what she might consider to be her stupidest decision.

Giggling with red cheeks she knew what that would be hands down. “Oh you might like this one,” she laughed again thinking back on it. “I had been out with the girls walking around after we had already been drinking and at a sports party. I have no idea what I did with my shoes but with bare feet after it just finished raining I was walking down the train bridge trying to keep my balance on one of the rails while half humming and half whistling some random tune,” he chuckled right along with her, “when suddenly I began to feel a slight vibration and came back from la la land as I noticed the large light coming at me, the train blowing it’s whistle as it chugged away. I lost my balance and slipped falling right into the water below!” He watched her eyes twinkle and he was happy to join her.

“It is a good thing that would be the stupidest compared to some of the things people do out there. Did your friends help you get out,” he reflected back on his days in the military, all of the crazy things he has seen different ones do that make this look tame.

“Yeah they did after they got over their shock and we stopped falling down on the muddy bank during our fits of laughter. It was definitely one of my craziest nights, one my mom still doesn’t know about,” she could only imagine the number of grey hairs her mom would have gained learning about that.

After seeing a ‘Specialty Dessert’ menu he got up and grabbed it, taking a look over as he noticed these desserts contain alcohol like the Grasshopper drink. “Want to split one with me, they look good,” he could feel a heavy buzz starting set in but what started as a tense night full of uneasiness is turning into a really great night. He found a sundae served in a margarita glass with a peppermint Schnapps added into the mix along with a shot of Patrón.

“Looks good to me,” she gained a sweet tooth seeing the chocolate ice cream and whip cream with cherries on top. “Might get a toothache from it though,” she commented.

“Be a well gained toothache,” he noticed the bartender coming over after seeing them over there looking at the menu.

“Would you like something from the Specialty Dessert menu Mr. Trent?” The bar tender dressed nice for this more upper class bar but also had his sleeves rolled up making him look more with the times and helping to keep things a little more relaxed.

“Yeah we would like one of these,” he pointed at it as the words slightly blurred.

“Good choice, I will have that over in a couple minutes,” he collected the menu from Chase and returned to the bar putting it away in the process.

Keira sipped her drink feeling her head get a little heavy but having too good of a night to turn in quite yet. It didn’t cross her mind that it is already after one in the morning or that she doesn’t have anything beyond her own two sore feet to get her home which is miles away from here. Looking up as a few shadows crossed over the table she caught the quick glares aimed at her before flirtatious smiles were sent towards the male she has been keeping company with. At this point she couldn’t even be offended or intimidated as she mumbled, “Vultures,” and took another sip of her drink.

That cracked a smirk from Chase as he turned his attention towards the newcomers. “Can I help you,” he asked while still in a good mood with a buzz, their looks not near enough to sober him up.

“We wanted to see if you would like to dance before the night is over. We’re all having Jell-O shots and a good time back where you had been,” the blonde grabbed one of his hands and pulled it towards her breasts trying to look flirtatious while hoping to pull him away from the woman he has been spending his time with ever since he spotted her.

Definitely a bit drunk at this point he yanked his hand away when he meant to just pull it away and she stumbled, hand reaching out to catch herself and catching on his drink in the process. The clatter of his drink and the ice cubes spilling across the table and on to his outfit made everyone right there come to a stop those women made dramatic gasps and squeals. Keira remained silent, blinking a few times before quickly grabbing a couple small napkins to quickly stop anymore from dripping on to him and righting his glass. “No thanks,” he grabbed the napkin under his drink and tried blotting up the mess.

“Sir I am sorry for the problems, I will be right back with some napkins for you,” the bartender had arrived with their dessert and signaled for the bouncer to come on over. Shortly after he left, pointing to the three that need escorting out, he was behind the bar getting a wet rag and a dry towel along with spare napkins.

“You three,” a deep and masculine voice had everyone looking at the beefy guy, “it is time for you to mosey on home for the night.”

“It was only an accident,” Chase said but did hope they do leave.

“I understand that sir but I had also seen her inappropriately grabbing you as well. We do not tolerate our customers being harassed, it is bad for business.” The bouncer could see that Chase understood so he escorted the pouting women out the door.

“If you want to use the restroom or head out it is okay,” Keira said as she tried to not look at his soaked crotch area, it almost made it look like he wet himself.

He looked over at her and noticed the sundae in front of them now. The bartender came over and quickly wiped the table while handing him the dry cloth and setting down a couple extra napkins before apologizing. Once they were alone again he said, “Nah I’m still having a good time. It could have been worse,” he tried soaking up as much as he can before he discarded it. “Besides we have this toothache in a margarita glass to enjoy,” he grabbed a spoon digging in before he held it out for her to wrap her lips around and taste.

Blushing brightly she hesitantly went along with it and connected eyes with him as they seemed to darken with some new emotion. Grabbing the other spoon she served him a little bit with a cherry on top seeing him pull it off the spoon only leaving the stem out for him to detach with his fingers as he chewed and swallowed, licking his lips. Rather than feed her another bite with a spoon he plucked off a cherry and waited for her mouth to open, those pearly whites and pinkish-red lips closing around it as he pulled the stem free and discarded it next to the other one. When they began feeding themselves he noticed some of the whip cream on her nose and wiped it away with his thumb startling her into dropping her spoon on her lap. “Eh I just knew I would spill something on this outfit eventually,” she looked at the mess.

“Don’t worry,” he grabbed the napkins and immediately went to cleaning it up and realized what he was doing and let her take over, handing her the towel as well to use. “Sorry,” he mumbled, head spinning just a little as he looked away.

“Thank you,” she tried cleaning it up but knew it would take a lot more than this. Tossing the rag on the table along with the spoon that fell she giggled a little as she noticed they were both a mess. “Looks like we have been struck again,” she gave him a somewhat goofy smile.

Checking out his own wet outfit and then seeing her stained one he had to agree they definitely have been struck again. “We still have another spoon and even if we lose that,” he reached for it and accidentally knocked it on to the ground before he busted out laughing, “then I guess it is a good thing this is a margarita glass,” his cheeks grew redder with the burn of alcohol in his system and the laughing he has been doing.

“I guess so, bon appetite,” she raised the glass up taking a sip before handing it over to him and watching him guzzle some down as well.

Half amused and half something else he noticed she has whip cream and ice cream on her lips. His actions could really be blamed on the alcohol in their systems but after remembering everything else is dirty he leaned forward somehow managing to gently hold her head still as he licked the cream from her mouth and followed it up with a French kiss, one that initially caught her off guard but had her swooning by the time he was done. Pulling her closer with his spare arm grabbing her around the waist they continued to make out totally forgetting about the world around them. The two became so soaked up in their haze between kissing and sharing the dessert that it wasn’t until the lights flickered, a signal of bar time closing in that they realized what time it is. Kissing down her neck he had entirely forgotten this is the assistant to one of his clients, she is just Keira in his eyes. She moaned and he asked, “Do you live far?”

“Yeah,” and far could really mean only a few blocks right now but she honestly does.

“Stay the night with me, I will get you home safely after we sober up,” he sucked on her ear lobe sending delicious tendrils of desire tingling through her body.

“Sure,” she didn’t even really think about it.

“I’m just up the block,” he mumbled against her jaw as he ran a hand up and down her back before grabbing her hips to pull her even closer. “Come on we should head out,” he got out of the booth feeling dizzy but held a hand out to help her up. She bent under the table to grab her purse and shoes before taking his hand. Going up to the bar he closed his tab, struggling to get the card in the right pocket of his wallet before they headed towards the front door.

“Hey Chase,” his brother looked over at him looking almost as hammered as they are. “Didn’t know you were both still here… it is shot time, come join us. The round is on me,” he waved him over swaying a little before he turned back to that same brunette from earlier and tickling her sides making her squeal. A shot girl came over with a tray full of shots. She was more than happy to be working that night with the great tips she is making.

“Sure,” Chase said and they both grabbed a shot. Someone said something or other before yelling cheers! Down the hatch the burn of alcohol went and with a half hug to his brother he pulled out a $50 bill and left it for a tip on the counter then headed on out with Keira tucked under his right arm, both leaning into one another.

Out on the street the slightly cooler air helped to perk them up a little bit as he guided them to his penthouse loft. The wide sidewalk was mostly deserted at this hour of the night and absent of any officers patrolling the area. After only stumbling a couple of times he managed to get them to the front rotating doors of the prestigious building. Staggering on into the building any sobriety they gained was nearly gone by the time they got into the elevator and he swiped his card, the metal machine moving to take them several stories up to his floor and making them even dizzier with the vertical motion. Seeing her in the reflection he turned so she stood in front of him, his lips claiming hers as he pushed her up against the wall. By the time it dinged and opened the doors his shirt was halfway unbuttoned and his hand was under her shirt. They fumbled a moment as they walked backwards out the door with him turning them around as he searched to turn a little light on. With a couple steps backwards with Keira she tripped and sent them tumbling, his head connecting with the corner of a table before hitting her cream colored top.

“Ungh,” he moaned for a second before he lifted himself up and realized he is now staring at her covered chest while she looked a bit dazed from the sudden fall, her mind boggled. Somehow they managed to get up, the pain forgotten as they grew heated again and went on into his bedroom…

Chapter 3

Morning came with a blur and as comfortable as she was the bed was definitely not hers and she held no clue to why an arm is draped over her waist. Head still pounding a little and bladder beyond full she struggled to get up but ended up flopping back down as the room spun and her limbs became too sluggish and limp. A soft groan escaped her lips as she pressed a hand to her forehead willing the world to right itself. The arm around her moved a little and brought her attention back to the other circumstances of the present situation. Blinking her eyes and squinting at all of the light coming in through the floor to ceiling windows stretching from wall to wall she turned over on to her right side and recognized him instantly.

‘Oh my god,’ she felt a chill go through her as she just realized she is also naked and sticky in different areas while her body touched a couple noticeable wet spots on the bed. ‘My boss is going to kill me if she ever finds out about this.’ Her mind felt like it was screaming at her right along with the pounding as she felt the alcohol still heavy in her system. Scooting to get off the bed she was nearly there when her movements jostled him awake, his own brain protesting at all the moving on the bed.

“Ssstay,” he slurred out wanting her to stay put.

Freezing up she panicked as in her mind she thought that if she managed to get out of there before he woke up to realizing who he just had a one night stand with then she might be able to face her boss on Monday and face him in any possible meetings in the future that she might still be around for. Of all the people she could have slept with it just had to be the CEO of Trent Corporation, a man that should have had a million red flags on for her to steer clear of when out in public or anything outside of work. Those tense moments felt like forever to her and she thought he might have fallen back asleep so she slowly got her legs off the bed and began to scoot forward in an attempt to connect her feet with the floor and stand up as smoothly as she possibly could but a couple seconds after that he grabbed her arm.

"So okay― there you are in your room with the shade down and the door shut and the plug pulled out of the base of the telephone. You've blown up your TV and committed yourself to a thousand words a day, come hell or high water. Now comes the big question: What are you going to write about? And the equally big answer: Anything you damn well want."
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

"If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut."
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

"Good description is a learned skill, one of the prime reasons why you cannot succeed unless you read a lot and write a lot. It's not just a question of how-to, you see; it's also a question of how much to. Reading will help you answer how much, and only reams of writing will help you with the how. You can learn only by doing."
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

"Read and write four to six hours a day. If you cannot find the time for that, you can't expect to become a good writer." He sets out each day with a quota of 2000 words and will not stop writing until it is met. He also has a simple definition for talent in writing: "If you wrote something for which someone sent you a check, if you cashed the check and it didn't bounce, and if you then paid the light bill with the money, I consider you talented."
― Stephen King