Missing Pieces (The Pieces Series Book 1) (2 page)

“Shut up, bitch! You’re damn right you aren’t going anywhere. You’re mine.” 

When did this man snap, and how did I not see it? He brings the rope over, bends to tie it to the bottom of the bed, and grabs my left foot. With my free foot, I quickly kick him in the nose. I hear a crunch, and he grabs his face and falls to the floor. Jumping off the bed and running toward the front door, I knock the table over to try and slow him down. I quickly reach the door and swing it open. Thank you, Jesus, for being a long handle instead of a round one or I might not have gotten it open.

“HELP!” I start screaming while running down the hallway of the building.

Just as my neighbor opens his door to see what’s going on, Lee grabs me. “Gabby, what is going on here? What happened to your head?” he asks.

Lee looks at him and growls, “It’s none of your damn business.”

The guy quickly grabs his cell out of his pocket and dials for help. Lee punches him in the face, knocking him down. As he drags me down the hall back toward my apartment, he whispers in my ear, “I have a good five minutes before they get here. That’s plenty of time for what I have in mind.” 

I scream and fight with all I have left. I try to reason with him one more time. “Please, Lee... I love you. Don’t do this!”

He doesn’t say anything, just continues to drag me to the apartment. I stomp on his foot and kick his legs, trying to wiggle free. I elbow him in the stomach and finally get loose. While he is bent holding his stomach, I turn and kick him in the head. Then I run to the elevator, just as someone is getting out. Pressing the first floor button, I see him start to run for the door and it closes just as he reaches it. Standing there alone, I start crying and hyperventilating.

As the doors finally open to the first floor, I catch my breath and run out the front doors...right into a group of cops. “He is still up there and he is trying to kill me! Please help!”

One gets on his radio and calls it in. After he tells me that ambulances are on their way, he asks me my name. I can barely speak. I say, “Gabriella Calkins. I don’t know why he flipped...” I see the police officers assemble. Two head up the stairs, while two stay by the elevator. I just collapse on the ground and I pass out. I have no fight left.

W
hen I wake up, I can remember every detail, down to how my blood tasted in my mouth. Later, they told me he had duct tape, gloves, a garbage bag, a selection of big hunting knives, and a gun. I don’t even want to think about what he was planning to do. I met Lee Peters at a mutual friend’s party. He was a slim man, 6’, with muscles in all the right places, blonde hair and blue eyes. He said all the right things and swept me off my feet. Plus, he was a rich lawyer. It can’t get much better than that. He took me to all the fancy places to eat and paid for everything. He even asked me to work as his assistant. I thought that would be cool. I’d get to spend all day with him and sneak off for fuck sessions; plus, I needed the job. So I took it. I thought I was going to marry this man. Boy, was I wrong.

After about 6 months of working for him, he became possessive. At first, it was cute, but quickly became aggravating. He never raised his voice to me or anything like that, but he was stuck to me like glue. I had to weasel my way to spend time with the girls. Then, one day, he snapped. He started drinking heavily and spent more and more time at my apartment. I had kept it to have my own space so that when I needed a break, I could get away.

That night, things went downhill fast. He was arrested and is now awaiting trial. He owned the firm so it is now closed down. Hopefully forever. I hope I never have to see Lee Peters again. Anyway, that’s how I lost my job and boyfriend in the same day.  So I am going to enjoy this vacation while I can. I’ll start looking for a job on Monday. I haven’t been out since that night and that was about 2 months ago. I even started having panic attacks every so often, mostly when alone. People usually go to therapy for this sort of thing, but I don’t want to go tell someone how stupid I was. 

I live in a two bedroom apartment in downtown Atlanta. It isn’t anything spectacular, but it’s mine. The walls are painted white, and there’s not much furniture or decoration because I have no need for it. I was supposed to be moving out and into something better, but it will do for now. Thank goodness I was smart enough to save, but it isn’t going to last if I don’t find a job.

I check myself in the mirror. I have a slight scar above my right eye to remind me about that day. I’m 5’7” and big boned. I’m not fat, by any means, but I have hips and an ass that most girls would die to have. I wear a size 16, but my curves are in all the right places. My soft brown hair goes to the middle of my back, my hazel eyes have brown specks around the pupils, and I have a cute pug nose. I’m wearing my low-cut red dress that accents my curves and brings your eyes to my perky breasts. I pair it with black leggings and my calf-length black boots. “Hell, yeah, Gabby. You’re looking good.”

Maybe I’ll even find me a gentleman to take home. Scratch that. I want a bad boy who can take me on the ride of a lifetime. I need to forget Lee and what he represents. With that thought, I grab my purse and head down the street to Club 9.

Club 9 is a trendy bar for people ages 20 to 30 so since I’m 24, I fit in perfectly. It’s decorated in a modern sleek look with a nice dance floor. The walls are a greyish-blue, the bar is black granite with grey stools. There’s have a stage where they have live music sometimes. Nobody big, just local talent. It usually has a good selection of fine looking men. That’s a distraction I need. I used to come here with the girls after work since it is just a block away from my apartment and it is easy to walk home, just in case I get a little intoxicated.

It’s a chilly summer night so I bundle in my black jacket. I get there, pay my cover, and walk on in. It should get busier in an hour or so because that’s when the band will start. I just had to get out of my apartment. I needed the fresh air and mixed drinks. Maybe it’ll help me forget. I sit down at the bar and order a drink, something fruity and strong. He hands me this martini glass full of a baby blue liquid. I have no clue what it is, but it tastes good.

After about thirty minutes of sitting here sipping on my drink and watching the crowd, a cute guy asks me to dance. Why not? The local talent is a pop cover band. They are playing
Timber
by Pitbull and Kesha, which is a favorite of mine. We dance until I can’t feel my feet anymore.

“Can we sit for a few?” I ask, breathless. 

“Yeah. Let me get you a drink. I’ll meet you over there.” He points to a table in the back so I walk over and sit, and a few minutes later, he comes back with two shots. I sling it back and he laughs.

“So, what’s your name?”

“Gabby. You?”

“Mike. Do you come here a lot?”

“No, not really. Thanks for the drink, by the way.” This conversation is going nowhere.

He slides closer, as if that is possible, and places his hand on my leg. It’s starting to get uncomfortable. He isn’t my type. Not that I really have a type, but he has to be around 20. I don’t do younger than me. So I excuse myself to use the restroom and shoot out the back exit to the alley. I know. Cowardly way to do it, but I just don’t have it in me to argue with him. I’m tired. At least dancing was fun.

As I head to my apartment building, I hear footsteps. Really? Did he follow me out here? I so don’t have the energy. I turn around and, instead of the boy toy, I see two men. Apparently, I have no luck except bad luck.

“What do you want?” I say, nervously.

There’s no response. They just keep coming closer. They are both about 6’ with hard bodies. I look around and try to plan my escape route. They are blocking the door I just came out of so I am going to have to run. They circle around me. Maybe Lee hired them to get rid of me? Without me, there isn’t much of a trial. I start to run and one lunges at me. I dodge. The other steps in front of me so I kick him in the shin and run. I don’t get far when one grabs me and holds onto me until the other catches up. I hear this deep voice say, “Gentle with her.” That voice sends shivers right down to my lady parts.

A man steps out of the shadows, and I feel this invisible pull toward him. He is at least 6’2”, and built. His muscles are barely contained by his shirt. He steps closer to me and looks to be in his late twenties. It’s really too dark too see much else. He smells of cinnamon and musk. He grabs my hand and electricity shoots through my arm. “Are you ok?”

Dumbfounded, the only thing I can say is, “Am I ok? Are you crazy?”

But before I can say anything else, I become dizzy. He ask me again, “Are you ok?” 

I look down and notice that we are not in the alley anymore. I’m standing on carpet. What? I can feel myself starting to pass out and right before the darkness takes me, I hear him say, “Shit! We should have warned her!”

Neeko

––––––––

I
can’t believe that after so many weeks of not seeing her, she shows back up. I knew the moment I heard her ask for something fruity and strong that I couldn’t let her get away again because she may disappear for good this time. I can remember the first time I laid eyes on her.

W
hy would the oracle say I needed to be here in this place? I hate the city. I love my little haven out in the woods. But she was adamant that I needed to be in this club at 7:00pm. I think she may be losing her gift. There is nothing here for me. As that thought passes, I start to get up and leave. Then I hear a voice that stops me in my tracks. I turn and see a woman with brown hair coming in with a group of ladies. I have no idea how many or what they look like because I can’t take my eyes off her.

“Gabby, you really need to quit telling us all the places you and Lee do it at the office. I am beginning to think nowhere is safe.”

They all burst out laughing. I still can’t take my eyes off her. As if she senses it, she looks right at me. She would see me if I hadn’t thrown up my magic to shield me from view. She looks around, as if she senses that she’s being watched. Her voice alone has me ready to beg her to come back with me. I have never seen anyone so beautiful. There is this attraction that pulls me toward her, like our souls know each other and want to reunite. I have to leave before I do something stupid. I vanish as quickly as I can, appearing back into my room. What was that? How can this woman I have never met, and only heard her speak once, already have her claws in me?

I try my best to go about my daily schedule, but I can’t get her out of my mind. I am the leader of the Immortals and I am brought to my knees by a woman?! “Derrick, see if you can find me the Oracle.”

Derrick is my first-in-command and I trust him with my life. We have been friends since we could talk, and he has saved my life more than once. After my parents died, his parents are the ones who saved me. He disappears in front of my eyes. My chest itches again. It started when I saw her and hasn’t stopped. I walk down the hall to my room and then into my bathroom. I take my shirt off and admire my tats. They cover both my arms, up to my shoulders. I don’t have other tattoos anywhere else. These mark me as the leader. They also tell how powerful I am because each line represents a gift or power. The thicker the line, the more power the gift has. Only men Godgels have the tattoos that tell how powerful they are. The women of our kind do not get tattoos.