Missing Pieces (The Pieces Series Book 1) (17 page)

“Oh, baby. I am so glad you didn’t go. I would have killed myself trying to get you back.”

Derrick turns and walks out of the room. He is sizzling mad, either at me or himself.

I look back at Gabby. I have to do something to show her she is still my everything so I go to her list:

1. Home

2. Beach where the water is crystal clear

3. Paris, France

4. Picnic in Ireland

5. A Water Park

6. Home

7. Shopping somewhere fancy

We have scratched off everything but Home and Picnic in Ireland. I guess a beautiful picnic in Ireland it is. Then, maybe, I’ll take her home. “Hey, baby. I’ll be right back.” I walk out and holler for Derrick.

He stomps up, still mad as hell. “How could my sister do that? Why didn’t you tell me she was so vindictive?”

“I didn’t want to worry you. That is your sister, man. I can’t talk bad about her to you.”

“You are my brother. You could have told me what was really going on.”

“I’m sorry. Where is she?”

“I don’t know. She said she was sticking around for a while.” Neeko tells Derrick. His mouth sets into a grim line.

“Great! Probably to start more trouble. I want to take Gabby on her last two places she wanted to go...Ireland and home. She wants to have a picnic in Ireland, and I need someone to make it perfect. Find the perfect field and lay out purple flowers. I also need someone to prepare the food. I would do it, but I am afraid to leave her side right now.”

“You got it. I will personally see to it. You have to bring the real Gabby back, not this zombie.”

“I am going to do my best.” I walk back into the room, leaving him to get everything ready.

“Hey, Gabby. Do you want to take a bath?” She looks at me and grins. I chuckle and pick her up. She wraps her legs around my waist and leans in to kiss me. I let her lead the kiss, and our tongues meet. This woman drives me crazy.  I carry her to the bathroom. I go to sit her down and she wraps her legs around me tighter. Ok, shower it is. I lean in and turn the water on.

“I can’t take our clothes off if you won’t let me put you down,” I say against her lips.

She shakes her head and squeezes even tighter. “Neeko,” she whispers and, in that one word, I know exactly what she wants.

I press her against the wall and unzip my pants. I rip off her underwear and tease her with my fingers. When she is wet enough, I push inside her. She throws her head back and moans. I start off gentle, and she digs her nails into my back.

“Neeko, I need to feel alive. Faster, please.” 

I immediately go faster, thrusting harder. She screams in pleasure, biting my neck. I take her harder and harder until she starts to shake with her orgasm, and I’m right behind her.

We are both spent. She lays her head on my shoulder and kisses where she just bit. The bathroom is filling with steam so I cross over to the shower. I slip us in and hold her under the spray. She moans and relaxes when the hot water hits her body. I sit her on the bench and hand her the washcloth. We bathe and get out. She looks at me while she is drying off. “Thank you, Neeko.” Is she thanking me for the sex?

“For what, Gabby?”

“For not giving up on me. I don’t know why I am getting so emotional. I guess it’s just all the stress.”

“I understand, baby. I’m not helping the situation, either. Let’s get you something else to eat, then we can lay and snuggle.”

Gabby

––––––––

I
wake to Neeko snuggled up to me. I break away from him and head to the bathroom, then dress in my running clothes. I need to run this morning. I need things to go back to normal. I head back into the bedroom where Neeko is sitting up on the bed. “Where are you going?”

“For a run. I’ll be back shortly. Plus, I know you need to get back to being a leader. I have loved our little vacation.”

“Yeah, you’re right, but I won’t be long.”

I head out the door and down the stairs. Derrick meets me at the bottom. Ever since the Lash incident, I have had a guard with me everywhere. Most of the time it is Derrick, but I have had a few others. I wish I could run by myself, but at least Derrick follows behind me at a distance. Some of the others stuck right beside me. It was so annoying. Derrick is more like a friend, than a guard.

“Hey, Derrick. Up for a run?”

“Anytime, shorty.”

I start jogging down the driveway. They won’t let me go on the trail since the demon attack. Stupid demons. We reach the end of the drive, and I stop to take a breath. Derrick turns and starts to run back to the house.

“Hey, wait!” I yell.

I start to walk back and stop dead in my tracks. Lash is standing right in front of me. I am speechless. Not saying a word, he holds out a note. I take it, trying hard not to brush up against his hand. He winks at me, then flashes up next to me and kisses my cheek before I can register what’s going on. Then he’s gone. I finally get my voice back and scream.

Derrick comes running back to me. “What’s wrong?”

When he sees me standing there, unharmed and no one in sight, he says, “Is the wittle girl scared?” I just stand there, not answering. I hold on tight to the note.

“What is it, Gabby?” He walks right in front of me. I open the note.

Derrick,

If you want to see Lizzy again, you will bring me the missing piece. Bring it to the alley by the club where you took Gabby. Do not tell Neeko or any other guards about it. Leave now.

I drop the note and stare at Derrick. He picks it up, trying to see what it is. When he finishes reading it, he looks at me. His eyebrows are pulled together and his lips are set in a scowl. I have never seen him so angry.

“Derrick, who is Lizzy?”

“She is my daughter. What the hell is a ‘missing piece’?”

“I didn’t know you had a family. Derrick, I know what he wants.”

“They are human. I go home to them at night, unless Neeko needs me here. I need to call Debbie, my wife. How do you know what he wants?”

“
I
am what he wants. Come on. Take me and trade me for your daughter. I am an Immortal. I can handle myself until you can get Neeko to me.”

“I can’t do that. He wants the missing piece, not you. I will have to find this missing piece. Let’s go tell Neeko. Maybe he knows what this piece is.”

He is never going to let me go so I don’t even try to explain I am the missing piece. I’ll just have to come up with a plan on my own. He flashes us to the house, then calls Debbie. She sounds distraught, but I would be, too, if it was my daughter. Apparently, she is their only child and is 16. She was supposed to come home from school, but hasn’t.

I tell him I need to lay down, that these demon attacks are overwhelming me, and that I am just in the way anyway. When I leave, they are discussing a plan of attack. Nobody but me knows what this missing piece is. I run up to our room. I don’t want anybody getting hurt, not when all he wants is me. I leave a note on the bed, and pray that I flash to the right place. I close my eyes and think of the alley.

I open my eyes and I’m in my old apartment. Not where I wanted to be, but not too far off. I open the door and head for the elevator. I have to hurry just in case Neeko finds the note and tries to stop me. When the elevator finally opens in the lobby, I run as fast as I can to the alley. When I arrive, there are two men, demons maybe, but no sign of Lizzy.

“Where is Lizzy? Where is Lash?”

“You don’t need to worry about the girl. She is being released as we speak. I can take you to Lash.”

“No, I am not going anywhere with you. How do I know you don’t still have her?”

“You will just have to trust us.”

“Trust a demon? No, thanks.”

“You’re coming with us anyway.”

I’m thinking I can probably take these two, but then it hits me. There is no plant life here for me to use. I am defenseless against them. Is that why they wanted me here?

“Ah, I see you noticed. Come peacefully and we promise to be gentle.”

I am so tired of being kidnapped. I will not be a victim anymore. “If you want me, come and get me,” I say with as much conviction as I can.

I plant my feet and stand strong. I feel an energy start in my toes and head up to my legs, continuing until it reaches my head. Power starts filling up my hands. I notice them staring at me so I look down. My tattoo is lit up and I’m glowing.
Yes, you bastards. You messed with the wrong girl.
They finally shake themselves and come toward me. I don’t remember the storm so I am not sure how to do this. Something tells me to open my palm at them and, the next thing I know, I am shooting a light out at them. It reaches the first demon and he burns up. The second one flashes away.

Someone runs up behind me and grabs my waist, and I feel my whole body light up. I hear Neeko scream, “Gabby, it’s me!” I instantly stop. I turn to see Neeko on the ground. He has a few burns on his body, but they are quickly healing.

“Oh, my god, Neeko. I’m sorry. I thought you were after me.”

Derrick comes walking up to Neeko and helps him up. “Remind me to stay on your good side. Um...Neeko,
you
can do the fusing at her about coming here without you. She might barbeque me.” He looks me up and down. “Gabby, is this a bad time to tell you that you’re naked?” He chuckles.

I gasp and look down. “Again? Seriously? The light must burn them off. Neeko said it did the same in the storm. At least I didn’t get struck by lightning this time.”

Neeko grabs my hands and looks at them. “They are still warm, but no burns.”

“Home,” I quickly whisper.

I flash. Thank god I end up in my bathroom. I look in the mirror. My tattoo isn’t glowing anymore, but it is still warm.
Wow, I have another power.
Neeko flashes in. He doesn’t look to upset, just a little irritated. I dress quickly. “What happened to Derrick’s daughter?”

“She wasn’t ever kidnapped. She was just hanging a little later at school, finishing up her homework. You risked your life for nothing. You could have been hit with the lightning again and died this time.”

“We didn’t know that she was still at school. He wanted me. I am the missing piece. I just thought I could get her back without getting anyone hurt. He is going through all this trouble trying to get me to come to him. He has had plenty of chances to kidnap me or hurt me, but he hasn’t so I thought it was safe.”

“You’re the missing piece? How do you know this?”

“He told me on the cruise. That was the last thing he said to me.”

“Shit, he wants
you
? Why? What could you have that he wants? And he wants you to come to him on your own? From now on, you go nowhere without me or Derrick.”

“Ok. On the brighter side, I have a new power. Well, it’s kind of the same as the storm thing, but it does something new,” I say, trying to calm the situation.

“Yeah, an angel power. And it’s very powerful, too.”

“So I am an angel, or at least part angel?” I jump up and down, excited that I have found a piece of the puzzle of my life.

“Yes, now, come here so I can kiss you into submission. Maybe that will make you learn to listen.”

“Not likely, but I’ll take the kiss. Where is Derrick?” I blush, remembering he saw me naked.

“With his family.” He leans in and kisses me. We make love right there on the bathroom floor. We couldn’t wait to reassure each other that we are both still very much in love.

Gabby

––––––––

F
eeling kisses, I open my eyes and see beautiful blue ones staring back at me. “That is how I want to wake up for the rest of my life.” I grin up at him.

“I think I can do that.” He kisses my nose. “Now get up. I have a surprise for you.”

I get up and get dressed, Neeko following me. “I’m not going to disappear. I told you I was sorry.”

“I know. I just love watching you.”

I blush. We have been through so much and he can still make me blush.

“Ok, I am ready. Where are we going?”

“To finish off your list.”

He grabs my hand and flashes us to a beautiful field full of green grass and purple rose petals. There is a large blanket set out, the same one that we used on our first date. The smell of the roses surrounds us. It’s like our own piece of heaven. “Ireland?”