Bryn Morrow (2 page)

Jason turned away from her and slammed his tools back into his toolbox. “I think you should go.”

She left Blake Auto in silence, wiping her eyes with her fingers. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw that Jason was angry—his shoulders were clenched, and he was muttering under his breath. She took a deep breath and turned right, following Grant Street north toward Lake Drive. It was Saturday morning, and couples were out holding hands as they walked along the sidewalk and whispered sweet nothings to each other. Birds sang in the trees, and the sky was dotted with clouds. She could smell hyacinth. She swallowed her sadness like a lump in her throat and tried to think of the future. Jason would be okay. He was a nice guy and lots of girls wanted him.

Chapter 5

“Hey.” Jason set down a full pitcher of Budweiser on the table at Debra and Tommy’s lane. “How’s it going?”

“Pretty good. I thought you had to work today.” Debra’s eyes left Tommy, who was swinging his arm back, stepping toward the top of the lane, and getting ready to let go of his ball.
 

Rock and Bowl was as much a hangout as it was a bowling alley. There were ten lanes, which were rarely full, and a bunch of tables, booths, and bar stools which were rarely empty. The place was one step above being a dive, and it was kept moderately clean. The floor was black and white squares of tile for easy cleanup, and the ceiling was white and textured. The whole building smelled like stale beer, popcorn, and roasted peanuts. There was a long, wooden bar at the south end of the building, with tables and booths nearby. A popcorn machine was along one wall next to a jukebox. The bowling lanes took up the north end of the place with a wall in between to cut down on the noise. The lanes were three steps down from the bar.

“Got off at three. How long you been here?” Jason eyed the empty bottles on the table before looking at Debra.
 

“A couple hours.”

“You see Celeste today?” Jason asked, pouring beer into a plastic cup and sitting down opposite her.
 

“This morning at coffee. Why?”

“Oh, no reason. Just wondering.” Jason smiled and drank half his glass at once, then wiped the froth off his lips with the back of his hand. He had changed into a Minnesota Wild jersey and blue jeans after leaving work.

“She come see you?” Debra asked. She twisted her fingers together and avoided looking at Jason.

He nodded. “She mention anyone else lately?” He slammed the rest of his beer down and refilled it.

“No. Why?” Debra asked, shaking her head.
 

Jason’s eyes narrowed. “Well, she kind of broke up with me.” He gulped down more beer and nodded at Tommy, who was joining them. His ball had hugged the left side of the lane and then broken nicely to the middle, knocking down all but two pins. Debra marked the score on her sheet.

“Plenty of girls around,” said Tommy, grabbing a clear plastic cup from the stack next to the pitcher and filling it up. “Thanks for the beer, Jason. We were running low.”

“No worries. You and Debra are still going strong I see.” Jason raised his glass. “Cheers.”

Debra rolled her eyes. “Oh, yeah. We’re a match made in heaven.”
 

Tommy was lean and tattooed. He had brown hair, brown eyes, and was wearing a white tank top, blue jeans, and black leather boots. He was almost six feet tall and wore an upside-down silver cross around his neck on a chain. All of his fingers had rings on them. They varied from skulls to demon faces.
 

Tommy laughed, then leaned over and kissed her. “Damn straight.”

Chapter 6

Celeste watched the man emerge from beneath the gentle waves of Lake Saul. The night sky was dotted with stars, and the moon had not yet risen. The air was still warm from the heat of the day. He was wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. His body was toned and powerful. His expression was serious, and his blue eyes held her transfixed. She tried to take a step backward, but her legs wouldn’t move. “The burning man.”

“I prefer Bryn.” He lifted his left hand and held out a black orchid. It was dripping wet, like he was. The lake behind him was dark blue, like his eyes. The far shore was shrouded in mist. The air smelled like pine and moss.

“Who are you?” Celeste took the orchid, and then smelled it. The scent was powerful and ageless. It reminded her of old books and rain.
 

“My name is Bryn Morrow, and I’ve been searching for you since the day I died.” He reached out and placed his hands on her shoulder. His touch was gentle yet strong.
 

“Morrow? I don’t know anyone of that name. Since the day you what?” Celeste searched his face and felt an urge to run her hands up his chest, which she resisted. His clothes were already dry.

“Search your memories, Celeste. You know me. I’ve seen you many times, but you were always like a ghost.”

“But I’m not a ghost. I’m alive. Why are you already dry?” Celeste placed a hand on Bryn’s chest and looked up at him. He was beautiful and tall. His face was strong, and his eyes reflected deep pools of sorrow.
 

“My skin processes water,” Bryn said. “I can see you’re alive now that I’ve found you. But for two hundred years, you were a vision sent to torment me with your beauty. Always there, watching over me, but untouchable.”

“You’re the man at the crater?” Celeste asked. “But that was only a dream. No one could have survived that explosion.”

“Only one.” Bryn wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. She didn’t pull away. His embrace was exciting.
 

“So, I’m dreaming again.”

“Your dreams are more than dreams, Celeste. I need to know how you feel.”

“I’m in your arms. You tell me.” Celeste tilted her head up to meet Bryn’s lips. They were soft and warm. He shimmered, grew dim, and then blew away like smoke.

Celeste opened her eyes and jerked awake. The window was open, and the curtains moved in the breeze. She didn’t remember leaving it open. The sun was rising, and birds were singing in the trees. Her clock read six. She blinked her eyes and rubbed them, trying to recall the dream even as it faded. She could still feel Bryn’s lips on hers. Her heart was racing. She had never dreamed him this close before. She remembered how it had felt to touch his strong chest. His muscles had been like steel beneath his shirt. She took a deep breath, sat up, and exhaled slowly, urging her heart to slow down.
 

On the nightstand was a black orchid, still dripping wet.

Chapter 7

“Hey, Celeste. Hold up.” Debra was waving and running down Riven Street.
 

Celeste was walking east on Lake Drive. A couple of blocks behind her was Trium Rock, and in front of her, three blocks away, was Lake Saul. The sun was directly overhead, and the sky was dotted with puffy clouds. She turned at the sound of Debra’s voice. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“Oh, you know, the usual. A little hung over from bowling with the guys.” Debra caught up to Celeste and walked alongside her. She was in good shape but breathing heavily after the run.

“Guys? I thought you were there with Tommy?”
 

“Yeah, Tommy. And then Jason showed up. He was a little pissed off.” Debra looked rough around the edges. Her hair was a mess, and her makeup was smeared from being slept in.
 

“I can imagine.”

“Did you at least try to let him down easy?”
 

“I did the best I could. It’s not news to him his mom disapproves of me. He thought I was going to put up with it because of ‘true love.’”

“True love is a crock of shit.” Debra laughed.
 

“Indeed.”

“I might have accidentally mentioned the burning man.” Debra cringed. “I was drinking.”

“You didn’t! That’s all Jason needs is more ammunition.”
 

“Well, it’s not like the guy is real. It will all blow over.” Debra ran her fingers through her red hair, brushing it back behind her ears.

They reached the lakeshore and turned to the north, following the walking path. Debra breathed in the scent of flowers and reached out to hold Celeste’s hand. “Forgive me?”

“I dreamed of him again. Last night. He came out of the water and gave me a black orchid, right there.” Celeste pointed at the edge of the lake.
 

“You have got a wild imagination, girl.” Debra smiled. “Was he hot?”

“Smokin’. He’s all muscles and mystery: six feet tall with dark blue eyes.”

“And?” Debra’s eyes lit up with interest.

“I touched him, and then he kissed me,” Celeste said. “He said he’s been looking for me for two hundred years. Can you believe that?”

“Romantic,” said Debra. She grinned. She was still dressed in the same clothes she’d been wearing the day before: blue jeans and a blue shirt. The shirt was buttoned wrong, like she had dressed hastily in the dark.
 

“When I woke up, there was a black orchid on my nightstand, and the window was open. The flower was dripping wet.”

“Oh. Naughty!” Debra’s mouth opened in surprise, and she covered it with her fingers.

“I know, right?”

“It sounds like all your strange dreams are starting to come true.”
 

“I’m not sure what’s happening, Debra. But you better keep it to yourself for now. I don’t need Jason freaking out any more than he already is.”

“Don’t you worry about Jason. He does love you, but he’ll be okay. He’s smart and mostly not an asshole, so he won’t have any trouble finding someone.”

“I have feelings for him too, Deb. But not strong enough to live like that….” Celeste stopped, overcome by emotion. Her eyes teared up. Debra wrapped her arms around her and gave her a long hug.

Chapter 8

Bryn stood on the roof of a two-story house on Maple Street. The sun was down, and the warm breeze felt good on his skin. Celeste was approaching along the sidewalk, moving south from Rock and Bowl toward Lake Drive. He walked to the edge of the roof and dropped lightly into the front yard, absorbing the impact with his knees. “Celeste.”

She turned and saw him. He straightened. Her expression of surprise changed to a smile. “You remind me of someone I saw in a dream one time.” Celeste leaned closer and looked up at Bryn’s face.

“One time?” Bryn smiled warmly.
 

“Didn’t I see you on fire, standing on Trium Rock yesterday?”

“Yes. And no. I wasn’t actually burning. It was the polymer.”

“Polymer?”

“A coating. On my skin.”

“Hmm.”
 

“You’re really beautiful,” said Bryn. “Dark skin, white hair, and pale green eyes the color of mint ice cream.”

“Thanks. And you’re rather buff yourself. What are you, anyway?”

“I call myself a ‘latent’. It’s difficult to explain. Took me over a hundred years to puzzle it out myself.”

“Give me the short version.” Celeste admired Bryn’s muscles. They stretched his tight shirt in ways that made her tingle.

“Some people have a latent immortality gene. I’m one of them. It can only be triggered by something cataclysmic. And when it is triggered, you either die or wake up. I woke up.”

“Crawling out of a smoking hole in the ground?”

Bryn’s eyes narrowed. “I saw you there. How? You’re mortal. That was 1813.”

“I’m a bit different myself.” Celeste smiled, eliciting a grin from Bryn in return. “If you’re not a vampire, why do you have pointed teeth?”

“I sharpened them myself. I was very angry. I figured if people were going to treat me like one, then I should play the part.”

“I’ve never met anyone like you before, Bryn. Not in real life.”

“I’ve been searching for you for two hundred years. Will you walk with me?” Bryn’s deep blue eyes searched her face, and then took in her curves.
 

“Searching for me?” Celeste took Bryn’s hand and walked alongside him. “You’re warm.”

“Yes.”

“How is that possible?”

“I don’t know. How could I see you the day I died, like a ghost above my grave?”

“I dream of other times.” Celeste smiled and reached up to touch Bryn’s chest. “You are like steel cables wrapped with skin. Are you stronger than a man? Faster?”

“You can do more than dream, Celeste. I saw you. I’ve seen you down through the years, like an angel watching over me.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“I am strong and fast. And I have other abilities. It’s nice to finally talk to you, Celeste.” Bryn smiled. His grip on her hand was delicate, as if afraid he would crush her fingers if he wasn’t careful.
 

Celeste’s heart stuttered and visions of the man in the dream overlapped with Bryn standing next to her. “I can’t believe it’s really you.”

Bryn walked beside Celeste, holding her hand. Traffic on Lake Drive was light. He stopped in front of her house and looked down at her. His eyes revealed complex emotions. She stood on her toes and gave him a hug. He was trim and powerful. He held her gently like she was made of glass. He rested his lips against her neck and breathed her in.
 

“A kiss for walking me.” Celeste tilted her head up and closed her eyes. Bryn met her lips with his. His touch was electric. Celeste stopped breathing and let the sensation wash over her. She melted in his powerful arms, and he held her lovingly. Her lips parted and he kissed her more deeply. Time stood still.

“Thank you,” said Bryn, releasing her. “I long to stay, but I need to rest. I have traveled far to reach you.”

Celeste smiled, took an awkward step back, then turned and headed for her front door. She could feel his eyes on her. Her heartbeat grew louder in her ears and a flush of warmth spread across her chest. Her nipples stiffened. “See you soon, Bryn.”
 

He watched her until she closed the door, then turned and walked east, in the direction of the lake. Happiness played across his face, washing away the storm for the first time in a long, long time.

Chapter 9

Celeste was sipping on her mocha at Perky’s when Jason burst through the door. “You seem angry, Jason. Did something happen?”