Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Alona was in the kitchen of JC*s home trying to find a soda or some iced tea amongst his expansive collection of red wine when she heard someone enter through the front door. She was unsure of where Mike and Dre were located in the house and she couldn*t deny that a wave of uneasiness washed over her as she heard footsteps head towards the kitchen. But she smiled and let out a pent up breath when a short, almost elfin-like man with dark hair and even darker eyes walked through the doorway.
"Oh*it*s just you," Alona sighed, leaning back against the counter behind her. It never occurred to her that she sounded slightly rude.
Chris looked over his shoulder and then back at this strange woman in front of him. He smiled a small, crooked, smile and pointed at himself. "Just me? Okay, well, since I*m just me*who in the heck are you?" With the last word, he pointed back towards Alona.
She giggled softly and for the first time in a long time, Alona blushed. There was something in Chris* eyes and his mischievous grin. She felt like he could see right through her dark jeans and sleeveless sweater. "Sorry," she apologized, tucking a stray piece of her dark hair behind her ear. "I*m Alona."
"So, what are you doing in JC*s kitchen?" he questioned playfully, putting a hand on his hip and taking on an accusing stance.
Alona giggled again, cursing herself for doing so. She was acting like a silly schoolgirl. At twenty-seven years old she was well past that stage of her life. "I*m trying to find a soda." *Nice one,* she berated herself. *Way to sound sophisticated.*
Chris smiled kindly. "Good luck with that. JC has gotten on some kick where he only drinks water or wine. I don*t know. He*s a little lacking upstairs, if you know what I mean."
"So I*m not the only one who thinks so?" she replied, finally feeling a little more like herself. Chris* sense of humor was much like her own, biting but sweet. She liked that about him. Along with his eyes, and his perfect nose, and his cute little ears* *Whoa,* Alona thought quickly. *Calm yourself. He*s just a guy.*
"Great," Chris sighed exaggeratedly, noticing that Alona was staring at him but saying nothing, "my rugged good looks have entranced another one."
Alona felt the heat rise up from her neck and she knew without looking that her entire face was turning red. Thinking on her feet, she decided her only defense to her obvious lack of discreetness was sarcasm. "Don*t flatter yourself, Mr. Kirkpatrick." That was probably the worst comeback Alona had ever come up with in her entire life. Embarrassment sparkled in her dark blue eyes.
Chris decided it was only right to be merciful to her. He thought she was spectacularly pretty, even if her dark hair and slightly tanned complexion wasn*t quite his normal cup of tea. He didn*t want to alienate her after only two minutes. Shaking his head, he walked to JC*s refrigerator and dug around in the back. He finally pulled out a Diet Coke and tossed it to Alona. "Can I flatter myself now, my lady?" he bowed sweetly, a hint of something*Alona couldn*t quite put her finger on what*in his eyes. "I have, after all, provided you with your much longed for soda."
Unable to hold back a large smile, Alona popped open the can of Coke. "I prefer Pepsi, but I suppose this will do." She rolled her eyes but knew, deep down, that it had no affect on Chris. His eyes simply continued to bore into her, as if he knew every secret she had ever kept*or broken, for that matter. This day seemed to be getting better with each passing moment. Maybe coming to Orlando wouldn*t turn out to be such a bad idea after all.
~*~
JC slipped out of Alexa*s room silently, not wanting to wake her. Real sleep, not simply a drug-induced stupor, would do her good. He couldn*t deny that it had been hard to leave her, though. She had felt so right in his arms, so completely dependent on him. And that scared him a little. It had been a long time since he had been with a woman who honestly needed his strength for anything. His last girlfriend certainly hadn*t fit that bill. She had been hard as nails, ruthless, bitchy. Everything, it seemed, that Alexa was not. But still, he found himself unavoidably drawn to the auburn haired young woman asleep in his guest bedroom. He couldn*t put his finger on why, but he felt like he had known her much longer than ten days. Perhaps his entire life.
As JC began to descend the stairs into his living room, his ears caught hold of the distinct sound of Chris* laughter. Alona*s sweet giggle could be heard as well. Shaking his head, JC turned back around. He*d have all night to spend with his friends. He couldn*t pretend right now that everything was okay. And that was exactly what he would have to do if he were going to hang out with Chris and Alona. Shaking his head, he turned back around on the stairwell and headed to his bedroom. Maybe sleep would help him get his mind off of Alexa. He doubted it, but it was worth a try.
~*~
Alexa walked silently down a long, grassy trail. She wasn*t sure of where she was, but she felt an overwhelming sense of calm in spite of this. Looking down, she found herself robed in a light blue gown with tiny velvet slippers on her feet. She could almost feel the tiara on her head, but was unable to see it. A voice was calling softly from a distance*something about someone named Gwen. As she continued along the pathway and drew nearer to the voice, she realized it sounded remarkably like JC*s.
The sense of calm left her as mists began to arise from out of nowhere. Visibility lessened by the second until Alexa was too terrified to move, lest she should trip and fall over something that she could not see. She stood, frozen, barely breathing. There was JC*s voice again. She had an innate feeling that he was calling out to her, but why was he using the name Gwen?
"Gwen, can*t you hear me, my Lady? Just reach out your hand. I am not far*"
Alexa opened her mouth to speak but the words that came from her lips were unexpected. "I cannot see you, my Lord Lancelet. The mists are too great. Where are you?" She was surprised by the trembling of her own voice*and by the fact that she suddenly had a British accent. An unexplained fear gripped her heart. Something was wrong*
~*~
JC was terrified. Something*someone*was lurking just off to the side of him. He could hear Alexa and wanted to warn her, but he couldn*t. For a moment he had been able to see her. But suddenly she was gone*lost within the mists. He didn*t understand what was happening. She was so close to him. But he was unable to reach out to her. And he knew that she was in danger. The ominous presence he felt was not after him. It was after her.
"Do not move, my dearest Gwenhyfar," he spoke softly, not knowing why he called her by that name but not questioning it, either. Something about it felt right. "I will come to you."
"Lancelet, I am frightened."
"Don*t be afraid," he replied; though he was scared himself. "I am the Queen*s Champion, remember my love? Nothing will happen to you so long as I am here. Arthur would have my neck if I did not return you to him safely."
"I care nothing for Arthur and you know it," Alexa*s voice responded harshly. "He is my King, but you are my love. Save me for yourself, dear sir, not for him."
JC smiled to himself, both in his sleep and in this apparent dream world he had entered. Alexa*s words held so much love. He was glad of that. But he didn*t have much time to dwell on his happiness. A piercing scream shattered the mists around him. He recognized it immediately as Alexa*s.
"Gwenhyfar!" he shouted, running through the dense fog towards where he knew she would be standing. Her screams continued.
"Lance! My Lord*help me*please!"
"Gwenhyfar! I*m coming, my love. I*m coming!" But he seemed to be making no progress at all. In fact, her screams were slowly moving further and further away from him. In desperation, he drew the sword from the sheath at his side, unsure of how it had gotten there. As he did so, his foot caught on a limb or something of that nature and he tumbled to the ground. Alexa continued to scream*
~*~
JC awoke with a jolt, sweat pouring down his face. He could hear Alexa screaming in the room across the hall. It took only a few short moments for him to be at her side. He wrapped her in his arms as her eyes snapped open and she looked around her room in terror. "It*s okay," he whispered. "It was just a dream. You*re alright. I*m here."
Alexa gasped for air for a few seconds but slowly her breathing returned to normal. She looked up at JC and saw the perspiration on his forehead. She reached up and wiped it off. "It was so real*" she mumbled, wishing she could say more but knowing that the wire holding her jaw together would not allow it.
"But it was just a dream," he reassured, not wanting to think about what he himself had been dreaming of. "Only a dream*" his voice trailed off as he kissed her temple softly.
"You were there," Alexa continued. "So real*so*" she paused thoughtfully before looking up into his intense blue eyes. "My Lancelet."
JC*s face went suddenly pale. It couldn*t be. It wasn*t possible, was it? No. Merely a coincidence. He was sure of it. But still*what if*
"Everything okay in here?" JC nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Alona*s voice from the doorway. Chris was standing at her side, a look of concern on his face.
"Yeah, everything*s fine," JC replied flippantly, not taking his eyes from Alexa*s. He wanted to ask her*but he couldn*t now. It was too late. The moment seemed to have passed.
"We heard her screaming," Chris spoke up hesitantly. "What*"
"Just a dream," Alexa informed him. "I*m okay." But she wasn*t. She could see it in JC*s eyes. Something had changed in him when she had begun to explain her dream. And she wondered if maybe, just maybe, the tiny rivulets of sweat on his brow had come from a similar dream. She didn*t know. But she would find out.