Life in Two Parts

Life in Two Parts Janet Eckford

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Life in Two Parts Janet Eckford Copyright © 2011 by Janet Eckford All Rights Reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or shared in any form, including but not limited to: printing, photocopying, faxing, recording, electronic transmission, or by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the authors or holders of the copyright. This book is a work of fiction. References may be made to locations and historical events; however, names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author‟s imagination and/or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), businesses, events or locales is either used fictitiously or coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. Published by Beautiful Trouble Publishing, LLC PO Box 61 Colfax, NC 27235 www.beautifultroublepublishing.com Cover Art: Les Byerley http://www.les3photo8.com/ Editor: Stephanie Parent Proofreader: Novellette Whyte http://authorgurunovellette.blogspot.com/ Formatter: Savannah J. Frierson, http://sjfbooks.com/editing/ E-book Conversion: Jim & Zetta, http://www.jimandzetta.com/ ISBN: (ebook) 978-1-61788-123-7; (print) 978-1-61788-124-4

For my grandmother, who once told my mother, “I‟m 65 years old and I‟m just now learning how to live.” With the memory of your wisdom, I hope my journey isn‟t quite as long. —Janet

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CAVEAT This work of erotica contains adult language and sexually explicit scenes, which are smoking hot. This book is intended only for adults, as it is defined by the laws of the country in which the purchase is made. Keep this book out of the hands of under-aged readers.

Chapter One Augusta Johnson stared at her naked body in the full-length mirror in her bedroom. Smiling she nodded at her reflection thinking she looked pretty good for an eighty year old broad. She‟d always maintained a healthy diet, even before it was in fashion. Clean living, except for the occasional glass of Scotch, okay and there was that time she‟d tried pot in 72‟, but other than that clean living, healthy food, and laughter had kept her hale and hearty when most of her peers could barely walk from their bedroom to their bathroom. In her youth she‟d never been described as pretty, but had features that leaned more toward handsome, a word that implied character in her day. Today she may have been described as striking. She had a high, broad brow and large, brown eyes that rested above a nose that on a more delicate face would have been described as large. With her high cheekbones and firm jawline it fit just perfectly. Her golden brown skin still shone with vitality and health even in her old age, and aside from the normal wrinkles that came with time, it had the smooth texture of women half her age. 7

Life in Two Parts Her daddy had always described her frame as solid. With a height topping out at five ten, broad shoulders, strong arms and legs and full hips she made the perfect farmer‟s daughter. On her Daddy‟s small farm in Arkansas she‟d been right beside him plowing fields and tending cattle until he woke up one day and stated that her world wouldn‟t be confined to the small corners of the family farm. Saving every little penny that didn‟t go back into keeping a roof over the family‟s heads and the animals fed, he‟d sent his only daughter away to college. Smiling, Augusta thought about how she‟d cried when her Daddy put her on the train that would take her away to her new life. He‟d given her a fierce hug and promised she‟d be happy he‟d done what he did when she was older. Turning from her mirror, she started pulling on the clothes she wore when she worked in her garden and reflected on how her Daddy had been right. She‟d gone to college and thrived, going so far as to move out West to Los Angeles to work as a teacher. Plaiting her thick, gray hair into a braid that hung down her back she hummed as she finished and headed toward her kitchen. Going through her normal breakfast routine she finished her bran cereal and glass of grapefruit juice. Reminiscing about home made her think about the buttery biscuits and thick slices of ham her mother 8

Janet Eckford would make for the family to fortify them all before they started their chores. Tapping her finger against the glass she was holding she decided that she was going to make a Sunday dinner like the ones she‟d have after church growing up. She‟d call her niece Claire to see if she wasn‟t busy and if she‟d want to join in. Even those who practiced clean living had to have their few exceptions now and then. She‟d even take out that bottle of Single Barrel whisky she‟d been saving for a special occasion. Yep, as she walked out her front door Augusta couldn‟t help reflecting on how great her life was. Right until she saw the flashy, black sports car parked in front of her house and the large, handsome man leaning up against the passenger door with a wicked grin on his face. Scowling, she walked down her porch steps and glared at him. “What do you want,” she barked. Over the years she‟d realized that arguing with Dáire was an exercise in futility. It was best to get straight to the point before he started doing all his verbal tap dancing. If she had known picking up a hitchhiker on Pacific Coast Highway when she was coming down from a weekend trip in San Francisco during one of her summer breaks as a teacher would have caused her over thirty years of headache, she 9

Life in Two Parts would have left him where she found him. Nope, she had to be all Good Samaritan, energized by the message of change she‟d just heard at a rally in Berkeley, she‟d pulled her cherry red Ford Mustang over when she saw a man walking along the narrow road. She‟d been concerned that as it got darker a passing motorist would hit him. “Now, Augusta is that anyway to greet your oldest friend?” he asked with a mischievous smile as he peered at her over his sunglasses. Snorting, she turned her back to him and walked over to her rose bushes. Taking the pruning shears out of the gardening basket she had grabbed when walking out of the house, she ignored him. The musical sound of his laugh sent tiny little chills of pleasure across her skin. “Tap it down Casanova. If it didn‟t work back when I was young it most definitely won‟t do anything for you now,” she called over her shoulder. The awareness of him and his presence she‟d developed over the years was the only signal she had that he was moving toward her. In the beginning it had unnerved her that he could move so silently but now, like most things about him and his strange nature, she ignored it. It would only give her a headache and swell his already over inflated ego to 10

Janet Eckford think she was spending precious time thinking about him. “You really do have a way with roses, Augusta,” he breathed along the back of her neck. Though she was tall, Dáire still towered over her. She could feel the heat of his body as he stood at her back. In her youth it had caused her body to go haywire and if she were honest with herself, it still had a pretty potent effect. It was sheer will power alone, and a healthy dose of common sense, that prevented her from falling prey to the temptation Dáire presented. When she‟d pulled over and looked into his emerald green eyes that late summer day she knew immediately that she‟d made a mistake. With his long, black hair, faded jeans, t-shirt, sandals and large duffle bag, he looked like any number of the hippies she‟d been mixing with back in San Francisco. Yet, it was that smirk and those eyes that sent a signal to her brain that something just wasn‟t right. “Don‟t you know it‟s not safe to pick up hitchhikers?” he‟d asked in a husky voice as he leaned against her passenger side door. “Do you plan to make it unsafe?” she responded with a raised brow. Staring intently at her he answered, “Would you believe me if I said no?” 11

Life in Two Parts Looking him over, she tried to take a measure of who he was. It may have been the idealism of social change coursing through her blood, that she, a young black woman had her entire life ahead of her, a promise of a future so different from that of her family‟s, especially of her mother‟s. She felt invincible and as she stared into the beautiful face of the strange, white hippie and she smiled. “No, but I‟ll still give you a ride,” she told him with her chin raised in defiance. Age had tempered that rash sense of invincibility and colored it more in the hues of foolishness. If her niece Claire ever did anything as remotely stupid as that she‟d have more than choice words to impart to the younger woman. She‟d probably tan her hide for good measure. “Are you going to ignore me?” Dáire asked pulling her out of her musing. “Yes,” she replied shifting to put more distance between them. Sighing, he tugged at the end of her long braid. It was a gesture she‟d become used to over the years. As hard as she tried to keep a wall between them, a barrier against any type of intimacy, Dáire poked through her defenses with little touches and caresses. In her youth she‟d rage at him but as she aged she‟d 12

Janet Eckford learned when to pick her battles. “Well, that is unfortunate because I‟d thought we‟d go for a nice drive up the coast,” he said releasing her hair and moving to stand in her peripheral vision. In the corner of her eye she could see that he looked no different from the young man of that, long ago summer day. Granted, he‟d evolved with the times with regards to appearance. His once long, black hair was cut short in an artfully messy style that accentuated the aristocratic nature of his features and lushness of his mouth. The fitted, white polo shirt he wore was cut in a way to best showcase his broad shoulders and muscled chest and the dark jeans he wore hugged his narrow hips and strong thighs. He was just as beautiful and youthful as the day she met him and he always would be. “I‟m not in the mood for a drive,” she groused, moving to another of her rose bushes. “You‟re never in a mood for a drive,” he replied glumly. “That‟s because I‟m an old lady, Dáire. I don‟t want to sit in a car for hours unless I‟m going somewhere,” she turned to scowl at him. “Whose fault is that?” he snapped. Sighing, she just shook her head and continued to prune her roses. This was an old argument and as 13

Life in Two Parts she‟d learned, it just wasn‟t worth arguing with him.

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Chapter Two Dáire was doing everything in his power to tap down the growing rage building inside of him. He hadn‟t come to argue with Augusta today. He‟d planned a beautiful day of driving up the coast and possibly stopping in Santa Barbara for lunch. Instead she had to point out the one thing that would set him off, her age, or rather her aging, and the reality that each day she died a little more. “What no pithy comeback, no scathing remark?” he asked in a mocking tone. The tensing of her shoulders was the only sign that she‟d been affected by his comment. He wanted to shake her and grab her close to him and never let her go all at the same time. Running his hand through his short hair, he pulled at the strands in frustration. Moving to put some distance between them, he walked over to the side of her yard where another rose bush was in full bloom. Leaning down, he inhaled the fragrant scent of the flowers and ran his fingers over the velvety soft texture of the petals. “I didn‟t want to argue with you today,” he whispered, knowing she would still be able to hear 15

Life in Two Parts him. “Then don‟t,” she replied in her matter of fact tone. Opening his mouth to reply he quickly shut it. Whatever he said would probably just push her further away from him. He‟d seen how happy she was right before she spotted him. Humming softly to herself she‟d appeared invigorated and far more youthful than her years suggested. This was the Augusta he remembered, and saw less and less of as time passed. He knew that she‟d always kept a little bit of herself apart from him over the years, humans should always be cautious when they encounter one of the Sidhe, but she had never been so closed as she was now. She wouldn‟t admit it but he knew a great deal of it had to do with the fact that as she aged he still remained the same, a condition of his immortality. What frustrated him was that it didn‟t have to be that way. Not long after she‟d picked him up along the side of Pacific Coast Highway, where he was hitchhiking, he‟d given her a choice. She could have come back with him to his home, in the Unseelie Court, and though she wouldn‟t ever be an immortal she could have lived far longer than what her mortal years would allow. When she refused he experienced an emotion 16

Janet Eckford that he‟d never felt before. There was a great sensation of pain in his chest and it had lodged itself firmly there, springing up every time he saw the effects of time on her face and the reality of her mortality. Initially concerned that she may have been frightened by the myths that surrounded his people, he explained to her that human concepts of good and evil didn‟t apply to his race. They were beings that existed more in the gray and when she came to his home, she wouldn‟t be going to hell or heaven but another realm his kind lived in. It didn‟t work of course, and now he stood sulking in her yard, a constant source of amusement for his family and the other Nobles of the court. Dáire, a Prince of the Unseelie Court, tied in knots over a mortal woman. His kin didn‟t understand why he didn‟t just enthrall her in the beginning and bring her back through the veil and keep her tucked away on his lands. They, of course, didn‟t know Augusta and though it was quite possible to enthrall her like any other human, she wouldn‟t be the person he‟d come to love over the years. “Is there something you‟d rather do instead?” he asked hopefully. “I‟m doing it,” she replied never lifting her gaze from her task of gardening. 17

Life in Two Parts “Must you…” “Yes,” she snapped sharply, cutting off his statement. Fueled by his anger he‟d walked over to her and gathered her in his arms before he‟d even realized it. Pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head he stared down at her. The slight grimace on her face caused him to pause in his tirade. Looking down at his hands clutching her forearms he realized that he was holding her far too firmly. The shock of her fragility seemed to extinguish the flame of his anger before it even had time to build to a blaze. She still had the tall, sturdy frame of her youth but there were subtle differences in the feel of her forearms under his hands. The firm muscles that he remembered were softened now with age. He hadn‟t been this close to her in years and he took his time looking at what time had brought. That ball of pain was flaring up inside of him again because she was still so beautiful to him and yet so different. Her face was not only sprinkled with the freckles of her youth but also fine little lines that traced the history of her life. There were some for laughter as well as pain. There were two that rested between her eyes on her brow that came from years of concentration, and spoke of the wisdom she had earned. 18

Janet Eckford Yet, there were some things that hadn‟t changed. His eyes immediately honed in on his second favorite part of her face, her mouth. Whether pulled wide by her engaging smile or pursed tight in frustration and anger it was the most beautiful mouth he‟d ever seen. Dáire had watched it intently over the years as it delivered her sharp barbs and soothing words, always aching to know just how soft it would feel against his. Even now he hungered to kiss it and in turn claim it only for his use. When he thought of the men that had had the privilege of feeling those lush lips against their skin his anger flamed to life anew. Tearing his gaze from her mouth, he looked into Augusta‟s deep, brown eyes that had gone black with rage. For a fleeting moment, a small whisper of thought across his consciousness, he contemplated enthralling her now. Capture that look of defiance, bend it to something more palatable and take her away to a place where the fragility of her mortality would no longer be a problem. She would never be young again but he would still have her to hold and to love. “Don‟t,” she whispered with a look of alarm now replacing her ire. “I could if I wanted and there wouldn‟t be anything you could do about it,” he replied angrily. “Just because you can doesn‟t mean you should, 19

Life in Two Parts Dáire,” she said softly. Resting his forehead against hers, he let out a strangled sound of frustration. It wasn‟t supposed to be like this. He was the Prince that found his Lady Love and they would ride back to his castle and live happily ever after. That‟s what the mortals whispered to their little girls at night before they went to sleep, why had he‟d picked one that didn‟t listen.

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Chapter Three “Aunt Gus, are you okay?” The sound of her niece‟s voice pulled Augusta out of her musings. The scene with Dáire earlier in the day had left her shaken and confused. She‟d never seen him look so…so desperate before. He‟d mock threatened over the years that he would snatch her up one day and take her away but it was only when they were standing in her garden staring at each other as he held her close that she actually believed it. “I‟m fine, sweets. Just got a lot on my mind,” she replied looking up at her niece. Her younger brother‟s grandchild, Claire was her favorite amongst her sibling‟s children and grandchildren. Some thought it was because Claire bore an uncanny resemblance to her, but Augusta knew that it was something deeper. The young woman was not only the child of her heart but an example of the promise she‟d made to herself when she got on that train in Arkansas, leaving the only world she‟d ever known, to be the best and brightest. Every time she looked at her young niece, Augusta saw the result of a life committed to breaking 21

Life in Two Parts down barriers of racism and sexism. She wasn‟t delusional in thinking they‟d been eradicated but the day she stood at Claire‟s graduation from medical school and each day she visited her at the small clinic she was the director of, Augusta felt that her life had been well spent. The feeling blossomed even more when she watched Claire live her life with complete freedom, not hampered by fears and uncertainties. “What‟s got you down, Aunt Gus?” Claire asked with concern, reaching over Augusta‟s small kitchen table to squeeze her hand. “Not down child, just thinking about my life and some of the choices I‟ve made, that‟s all,” she replied smiling back. “Any regrets?” Claire asked her inquisitively. The image of Dáire‟s face as he stood holding her in the garden earlier in the day rushed to the forefront of Augusta‟s mind. She couldn‟t help grimacing at the thought that she had regrets when it came to the two of them. “From the look on your face I‟m going to assume that‟s a yes,” Claire chuckled softly. Augusta couldn‟t help shaking her head. She knew that age made one reflective but she‟d always taken everything in her life in stride. She‟d made choices and stood by them, right or wrong. She‟d 22

Janet Eckford always felt she‟d lived her life to the fullest considering what gender and race she‟d been born to. No regrets, but just as she‟d finished her internal monologue, a montage of moments spent with Dáire seemed to play through her mind. “Was it a man?” Claire asked sheepishly. There was a moment of silence while Augusta tried to think of the best way to answer the question. Her hesitancy seemed to embarrass the younger woman and she rushed to make up for what she must have deemed a faux pas. “I‟m so sorry Aunt Gus, that isn‟t any of my business.” “Oh honey, don‟t feel bad. I guess you could say it has something to do with a man in a way,” she reassured her niece as she took a sip of water. “Was it…was it that white man Granddaddy told you to be careful of?” Claire asked curiously. The question shocked Augusta because she didn‟t know how Claire knew about the argument she‟d had with her brother before the other woman was even born. “Daddy may have mentioned something when he was saying I was just like you,” Claire said shyly. “When was that?” Augusta asked with her own curiosity. 23

Life in Two Parts “When I was five and I told my dad I was going to marry Bobby Madden,” Claire replied with a chuckle. Augusta began to laugh until her sides hurt when the image of the chubby little tow-headed boy Claire had followed around during kindergarten popped into her head. Claire‟s father always had an odd way of parenting and she could see him using an argument he‟d heard during his youth as a life lesson for his daughter. The Johnson men, aside from her own father, were often too over protective of the women in their family. She could still remember the day her brother saw her getting out of Dáire‟s car, which resulted in him having a complete meltdown. “What were you doing in that car with that white boy?” Rodney yelled coming down the stairs of the apartment complex she lived in at the time. After he‟d moved his family from Georgia, where they‟d been living with his wife‟s family, to Los Angeles he‟d kept a watchdog eye on everything Augusta did. At the time she‟d been more than annoyed, sheltered in her little bubble of liberalism, she couldn‟t understand why her brother couldn‟t get with the program. “I was getting a ride home, not that it‟s any business of yours,” she‟d said haughtily, trying to 24

Janet Eckford move past him to go up the stairs. “Gus, I know you think things are changing but they ain‟t changed that much. That white boy ain‟t nothing but trouble, all of them ain‟t nothing but trouble, and just because you‟ve been living out here doesn‟t change the fact that you‟re still colored” he‟d fumed grabbing her arm. At the time Augusta had been incensed over her younger brother trying to interfere in her life. She‟d wanted to shout back at him that Dáire was no boy. Hell, she didn‟t even think he classified as a man. She‟d wanted to tell him that they were living in a new day and age and she wasn‟t “colored” anymore. She‟d wanted to scream at him about equality and all the things she and her friends were fighting for but the look of fear in her brother‟s eyes stopped her. He was frightened for her, of what could happen to her, and if she was going to be honest with herself, in that moment as she looked at her brother she couldn‟t really tell him if his fear was unfounded. The memory of that altercation and the subtle changes she‟d made when she met with Dáire afterwards stopped her laughter. Sensing the change in her mood, Claire reached over and squeezed her hand again. “It was a different time, Aunt Gus. You broke a 25

Life in Two Parts lot of barriers down but I guess there were still things that even you couldn‟t push past,” the younger woman whispered. Looking into warm brown eyes so like her own, Augusta gave her niece a small, sad smile. She knew the young woman was right in some ways but she couldn‟t help wondering what it would have been like if she‟d taken a step into the unknown, if she‟d put fear and doubt away for just one night. What would her life have been like? “You have an interesting look on your face,” Claire said. “That‟s because I‟m having some interesting thoughts, sweets,” she replied with a chuckle.

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Chapter Four Pulling up to Augusta‟s house, Dáire turned his car off and sat looking at the small, Spanish style house. She‟d recently had it repainted and the terra cotta color accented perfectly the roses and other foliage she had throughout her garden. He remembered the day she‟d actually bought the house. She‟d been saving for years and when she got promoted to principal of a local high school she‟d finally felt she had the funds to get her dream home. Dáire could remember her excitement as she described the place to him. What year was it, he thought to himself? It was when that actor was President he remembered, but he couldn‟t recall the human‟s name, oh well he thought, it didn‟t matter. “It‟s so perfect, Dáire. Since its mid-city I‟m not going to have trouble getting to anything,” she chattered away. He‟d been in Rome at the time, dealing with one of his human businesses and was actually disappointed he wouldn‟t get a chance to be there on the day she moved in. Looking up at the house, he took in a deep breath and used the memory of that 27

Life in Two Parts happier time they‟d had with each other to fortify his feelings. After he‟d left her earlier in the day he‟d driven aimlessly, feeling the full weight of his hundreds of years of existence. Heading back to his Malibu house, he‟d contemplated crossing the veil and spending time on his estate in Faerie but he knew he couldn‟t do it. Now that Augusta was so close to the end he wouldn‟t chance crossing over and returning to find her dead. The pain that stayed lodged in his chest seemed to flare at the thought of missing even the few moments he had left with her. That‟s why when she called him well after midnight asking him to come over he jumped at the chance. Stepping out of his sports car, he shut the door and headed up her walkway. Stopping just before he walked up her porch to the front door, Dáire smelled the roses that lined her house. It seemed that their fragrance was that much more potent at this particular late hour of the night. Or it could be that his senses were just that much stronger. Night was the time of his people and though he functioned perfectly well in the daytime, it was during these early hours before dawn that he felt the most connected to his magic. With one last deep breath he took in the fragrant perfection of Augusta‟s roses and headed up the steps to the front door. He couldn‟t deny that even though 28

Janet Eckford he felt a bit weary he was still curious as to why she‟d called him at such a late hour. When they‟d parted earlier in the day it‟d been pretty strained and when she‟d refused his offer of dinner, stating her niece would be coming over, he‟d left. Gently knocking on the door, he hoped that they would be able to recapture some of the happiness they‟d shared. When Augusta opened the door it took him a moment to register what he was seeing. Her hair was a cloud of gray curls, framing a face touched with the barest strokes of make-up, enough to accentuate her features in a striking way. She had on a wrap dress he hadn‟t seen in years but that still clung to a body though older no less beautiful in form. Looking down he saw that she had on the brown, leather sandals he‟d bought her years ago in Peru and her toes were painted a bright pink color. “Hello,” she whispered shyly. “Hello,” he answered back once he felt he had the ability to use his voice. The small smile that she gave him seemed to ignite something inside of him. He realized that she‟d gotten dressed up for him and it made him happier than he‟d felt in years. “Come here,” he said huskily, reaching to pull her toward him. 29

Life in Two Parts “Wait…stop. I want to talk to you first,” she said stepping back and holding her hand up as if to ward him off. Crossing the threshold, he felt the tiny prickles of the ward he‟d constructed for her. She‟d been initially annoyed at the thought of him “magicing” her house, but when he told her it was better than any alarm system she backed down. Closing the door behind him, he followed her to the living room and watched as she twisted her hands nervously. His curiosity and desire for her seemed to increase as he watched her struggle to find her words. “Shall we sit?” he asked indicating the couch she was standing next to. Augusta had carried the theme of Spanish style throughout the house, from the tiled floors to the dark wood, mission style furniture that she had in the living room. She‟d gone through a painting phase after she retired and some of her artwork, along with other local artist‟s work, was placed on the walls in the room. He‟d always felt a sense of contentment in her home with its soft earth tones and the pride of ownership she‟d fed into the very foundation of the place. “Yes, let‟s sit down,” she agreed sitting in the corner of the couch on the very edge. Smirking, he sat down next to her, enough in her 30

Janet Eckford space to keep her aware of his presence but not enough to make her bolt. He could tell something big was about to happen between them and he didn‟t want to prevent it in any way. “I called you over here tonight because I‟ve been thinking. More specifically about us and how…well,” looking down at her hands she seemed to struggle for what she wanted to say. “When you get older you start thinking about your life and the choices you‟ve made and the ones you didn‟t, and I‟m starting to think I didn‟t make all the choices I could have,” she finished looking back up at him. Dáire smiled back at her with what many a woman had called his sexiest smile. The exacerbated look she gave him before she rolled her eyes made him chuckle. Reaching to unclasp her hands, that were twining around each other, he raised one to his lips and kissed her knuckles softly. “I‟m hoping this choice you‟re talking about is the same one I‟ve been thinking of since you picked me up in that Mustang of yours,” he smiled wickedly and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. Her husky laugh that had made him hard countless times over the years still had the same effect as he watched her. Tugging her closer he pulled her into his arms. When she stiffened he growled in 31

Life in Two Parts frustration. “I thought this was what you wanted? Why you did all of this?” He indicated her new make over. “I do, but not like this,” she replied pulling away from him to stand. “Unless you know something I don‟t know, you being in my arms is the best way to start…” he smirked as he let his words trail off. “I know that. I have had lovers before,” she stated indignantly. “I would appreciate it greatly if you refrained from mentioning your other lovers prior to you becoming mine,” he surged to his feet angrily. “Oh don‟t act all innocent and pretend you haven‟t had lovers too,” she threw back at him, planting her hands on the tops of her hips in a defensive stance. “They were never what we could be together,” he tried to tap down his anger as he stood over her. “I find it amazing that whether Sidhe or human, the males of the species seem to always say the same bullshit,” she said in a dismissive manner. “If your aim was to just entice me and then insult me I find this meeting tiresome and will take my leave,” he told her coolly. “Entice? Hardly,” she snorted. 32

Janet Eckford “What do you call your current attire and your hair and make-up?” he asked indignantly. “Oh stop, I‟ve known you too long and I‟m too old for false flattery.” Grabbing her hand, he placed it on his hard on that hadn‟t dissipated even with his ire. Her gasp and look of shock made him smile wickedly at her. “This is not flattery,” he whispered leaning down toward her mouth. “Wait…no not like this,” she shouted pulling away from him. “Then what other way is there to be?” he asked feeling his frustration mounting. “I want to make a wish and I would like for you to grant it, please,” she said so softly he almost didn‟t catch it.

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Chapter Five The hard stare that Dáire was giving Augusta almost made it difficult for her to ask for her wish. After Claire had left she‟d thought more and more about the question of whether she had any regrets and she finally came to the realization that she did. She‟d done so much during her lifetime but the one thing that she‟d always wanted she‟d stopped herself from ever trying to attain. Now that she was older, hell now that she was old, she didn‟t want to miss out on the opportunity of knowing what it would feel like having her skin pressed against his, to know what it felt like to have him inside of her. Contrary to what a lot of young people thought, just because she was eighty didn‟t mean everything down there shut off. It just took a little bit longer to jump-start and at her age it became even harder to find someone to start it up. She wanted it now though, with a passion she‟d never known before but she didn‟t want to do it in a body that though fit and agile for her age, tired faster. If she was going to have this one chance she wanted to make the most of it. “What is your wish?” he asked with a steely calm 34

Janet Eckford that made her nervous. He‟d never looked so “other” to her than now. His features seemed to become harder and his body looked as if it had been carved out of stone. He still had on the same clothes from earlier and the casual attire seemed to contrast sharply with the way he was holding his body. Chewing her lip, she wondered if she‟d offended him but she‟d come too far now to stop. “I want to be young again tonight, just this once when we…” The glare Dáire gave her made Augusta falter on her words. She felt like a young girl asking the most popular boy at school to a dance. She‟d never felt nervous around Dáire before and tried to think of what she could say to get him to smirk at her in his sly way. “You think me so shallow,” he growled. “What…no, you don‟t understand,” she tried to explain but he held up his hand to silence her. “You don‟t know after all these years do you? You don‟t know that I love you and I am not held to foolish whims like your human men. I will have you now as you are.” Augusta felt as if the air around her was crackling with energy. Dáire seemed to transform before her eyes and as she saw the new him she wondered how she could ever forget that he wasn‟t 35

Life in Two Parts human. With his human glamour gone, he was almost painfully beautiful. His hair was once again long like the first day she saw him but it seemed to glow blue black as it fell in thick waves across his shoulders. His green eyes, that were always vibrant, seemed to glow like the brightest jewels and his face, though still aristocratic in form, was now structured in a way that seemed so perfect that it was surreal. With all of that there was a sort of darkness, a sense of wildness about him that she‟d never noticed. It frightened her and yet called to her. Holding up her hands in a placating manner she frantically tried to gather her thoughts. Dáire had a temper that was kindling to her own, but tonight was not about arguing. Tonight was her night to live, to live with him in a way she‟d never had in the past. Gathering the courage of eighty years of life, she looked him in the eye and poured her heart out. “You don‟t understand. This isn‟t about you being shallow or even my vanity it‟s about the life that I‟ve had. I‟ve had eighty great years of being the best daughter, sister, auntie, teacher and friend. I‟ve had a life of pushing past what people thought was appropriate for me as a black woman. I can look back and think that my life has been all that I could have asked of it and be content with that. But there is one 36

Janet Eckford thing I never let myself have and it could have been because of fear of you, or society, or just myself but I didn‟t take that chance. And yet it doesn‟t make the life I‟ve lived any less and I wouldn‟t want to change it and go back and try to fit you in somehow more than you are now. So I‟m asking you, tonight, to give me another chance, another life that would rewind me back to the way I was when you met me without taking away all that I have now. I want to know what it would be like at the beginning to be with you, not the end,” she finished looking up at this new, beautifully frightening version of Dáire and hoped that he understood what she meant. Searching his face, she tried to find the telltale signs of understanding that she was accustomed to seeing there. Something that let her know he would grant her wish, that he understood this was bigger than human vanity. Yet there was nothing there, no, that wasn‟t right, there was a “something” lurking in his eyes, that was just as foreign as his new otherness, and she didn‟t even begin to try and understand it. “You wish to have a life with me?” he asked with a calmness that both frightened her as it also gave her hope. “Yes, a chance for something I didn‟t think I could have before,” she whispered. 37

Life in Two Parts “I gave you a choice once,” he replied with the same detached coolness to his tone. Sighing, she pulled on a curl of her hair. She was losing him. Augusta didn‟t know how best to explain the complexity of living to a being that never had to worry about life ending. “If I‟m to grant your wish Augusta, you must explain it better than you just didn‟t make the right choices. Human regret means nothing to me. It is a condition of your mortality I do not suffer from,” he stated with a tone no less cool but a degree softer than before. Feeling her own temper begin to rise at the way he was reacting, his inability to understand her, she threw her hands up in frustration. “You aren‟t listening to me. This isn‟t about regret, well not the way you are thinking about it. I‟ve loved my life and all that I‟ve accomplished. This is about the fantasy of “what if”. You are my “what if” and it doesn‟t detract from my “what was” but it still exists. It may be a condition of my mortality but you have the ability to make that fantasy a reality without erasing all that I call my life.” Feeling tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, Augusta looked up at Dáire, exposing herself more completely than she had ever done with another 38

Janet Eckford person. “Maybe I am a selfish, grasping little human, but I want it all. I want you and what I had, and I want it in a body that can move and slide against all the glorious planes and valleys of your body without pulling a muscle or having a heart attack,” she finished with a shy smile. She hoped it would be the humor of her last statement that spoke to him if the intensity of her first part was lost. Dáire often grappled with most human emotions, and she feared what she was asking of him may be hard for him to compute, but humor, like their anger, was so vibrant between them it would be hard for him to miss, even with subtleness. “Do you love me?” Dáire asked, staring at her intently. The question was so abrupt that Augusta was silenced by her shock. She‟d never thought about loving Dáire before. Looking into his inhumanly beautiful face, she felt as if she was seeing him for the first time. “Does it matter?” she responded, feeling confused by his question and the intensity of his gaze. “Yes, yes it does,” he replied with a perplexed expression. His perplexity seemed to tug at something deep 39

Life in Two Parts within her. Reaching over, she gently took his hand in hers. When she was younger, she may have drawn out what she was going to say, played a game of emotional cat and mouse, not wanting to give more than she was getting. She wasn‟t young anymore and didn‟t have the luxury of time, of feeling the world would stop spinning if she only requested it. Holding his warm, smooth hand in hers, she looked down at the golden skin that seemed to glow from within. Rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand, gently caressing each finger, she looked up into his eyes and said, “Yes, yes I love you.” Augusta watched as a myriad of emotions flickered across Dáire‟s face, too fast for her to process. Gathering her up in his arms, he gently cupped the back of her head in one of his strong hands and looked deep into her eyes. “I love you too,” he said with a shy smile. “Does it surprise you?” she asked with a smile of her own. “Yes and no. I can‟t begin to explain it,” he replied with a furrowed brow. “Then don‟t,” she whispered, leaning forward just enough to place a soft kiss upon his lips.

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Chapter Six Closing his eyes Dáire savored the feel of Augusta‟s lips pressing against his. He had always wanted this but until the moment she was in his arms; soft, warm, and open to all that he had to give, he‟d never known how much he‟d wanted it. Opening his eyes he looked into hers and saw the wanting he was feeling reflected and knew what he had to do. Bringing her as close as their bodies could ever be, he kissed her with all the longing and passion he‟d kept checked over the several decades of knowing each other. Calling up his magic, powers that were as much a part of him as breathing, he gave her all that she‟d asked of him and more. Breaking their kiss, he let his lips trail along her jawline. Feeling the skin tighten and firm under his mouth. Nibbling his way to her ear and down toward her neck and collarbone he could feel his magic working. Letting his hands roam down her back to her lovely bottom, he kneaded muscles that had become taught and firm. As his mouth and hands began to explore her body, Augusta let out little sighs of pleasure that had Dáire on the very brink of losing his control. Pulling 41

Life in Two Parts back, he looked into a face that was like the one he‟d seen so many years ago. Pushing a soft brown curl from her forehead, he smiled down at her. He hadn‟t lied when he‟d said earlier that he would have her as she was, but as he looked into her now young face he knew that it was important that he had her as she wanted. “It‟s done,” he said, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose. “Okay,” she replied, twining her hands in his hair. “Don‟t you want to go see?” he asked. “I already know what I look like Dáire. I didn‟t have you do this so I could gaze at myself in a mirror all night,” she chuckled, pulling him down for another kiss. “That‟s what I did this for,” she whispered against his lips as she pulled away from their kiss. Dáire didn‟t need to be told twice. Scooping her into his arms, he walked quickly to Augusta‟s bedroom. Giggling, she kissed along his jawline and nibbled his ear. The simple, sweet simplicity of the act made his body flare with sexual awareness. He‟d wanted this for so long, wanted her for so long that it was almost too good to be true. Making his way into her room, he placed her down gently on her Mission 42

Janet Eckford style bed. There was a sort of static electricity in the room that made him think about how the air feels before a storm. This was a storm he found himself firmly in the center of and he couldn‟t wait to be taken for the ride of his life. Pulling his shirt over his head, he began to shift back into his more human glamour and was stopped by the husky sound of Augusta‟s voice. “Don‟t do that. Don‟t change how you look for me.” Smirking, he halted his magic and looked deeply into her eyes and replied, “But you did it for me.” Sitting up on the bed she began to pull her clothes off slowly, exposing more and more of her beautiful brown skin. “Dáire, trust, this was for my own selfish reasons.” Reaching out faster than he thought she could possibly move, Augusta snatched him by the front loops of his jeans and had him on his back straddling him. The look of triumph on her face and the little bounce she did right over his groin caused him to growl out with pleasure. At this point it didn‟t matter to him why she was doing anything, she‟d said she loved him and he was more than happy to live with that. They were words that he‟d never thought could 43

Life in Two Parts ever be spoken to him nor did he ever dream he‟d be able to return them in kind. Letting his hands explore the smooth contours of her skin, he pulled her gently toward him and kissed her pillow soft lips. Running his tongue against their seam he moaned with pleasure when she opened for him and began to duel her tongue with his. Her taste was the nectar of life that the gods coveted for their own. “More,” she whispered against his lips. Flipping her quickly beneath him, he helped her divest herself of the rest of her clothing and his own. Pressed skin to skin it was almost too much for him. She felt like fire wrapped in silk and he couldn‟t wait to bury himself so deeply in her that he was consumed by the fire she was creating. His hands couldn‟t seem to touch her enough and his tongue couldn‟t seem to taste her enough. Laughing, she flipped him over and began her own exploration. Trailing soft kisses down his torso, running her tongue along his abs and finally taking his hardened length into her mouth—it was heaven. Her hold on him was firm as she brought her mouth up and down, sucking and pulling him to ecstasy. “Enough,” he rasped, pulling on her hair that was wound tightly in his hands. 44

Janet Eckford Reversing their positions he wanted to have his turn with her body. With either a fae or mortal lover he prided himself on his stamina but Augusta‟s clever little mouth was going to finish him before he‟d even started. Sliding down the soft planes of her body, he found himself at the center of all creation. Running his nose against the moist flesh, he inhaled deeply and felt an awakening down to the very depths of his soul. She was his and he was never going to let her go. *** Augusta didn‟t know what Dáire was doing but he was driving her crazy with anticipation. In her youth she‟d never had many lovers that put their mouths down there but when they had she‟d enjoyed it. Looking down at Dáire‟s head nestled between her thighs she held her breath. When he leaned down and gently nudged her folds with his nose, taking in a deep breath, she felt her body shudder with arousal. Her other partners had never been as reverent with her body as Dáire was. It made her ache with need even more. “Please,” she begged, tugging on his silky hair. Looking up at her with a Cheshire grin, he winked before he bent his head down and devoured her. No, Augusta thought, that wasn‟t a good description. What Dáire was doing between her thighs 45

Life in Two Parts couldn‟t possibly be described with her limited vocabulary. Hell, it probably couldn‟t even be best described with his fae one. What she did know was that it was magical and she felt as if her body was being taken apart and mended back together after each swipe of his tongue. As an orgasm built from the very base of her core and spread through her body like wild fire, she arched her back eagerly awaiting her release. But Dáire wasn‟t going to let her come that easily. He teased and tugged until she was panting and moaning like a mad woman. It was too much and not enough, but when he gently nipped at her clit and tugged with the right amount of pressure one last time, she came with a howl of pleasure. She didn‟t have time to bask in the after-glow of one of the most explosive orgasms she‟d ever had before Dáire was over her and in her with one quick thrust. It‟d been so long since a man had lain between her thighs that she was initially shocked by the intrusion. It was both foreign and familiar to her and as he began to glide ever so slowly in and out of her, she found the rhythm she‟d had so many years ago when seeking her pleasure. It really was like riding a bike and she was going to pump and pump until her body couldn‟t ride anymore. 46

Janet Eckford “So beautiful, so soft,” Dáire murmured against her skin as their sweat slicked bodies glided against each other. Running her hands down his muscled back, she grasped his firm butt and pulled him even deeper inside of her. She didn‟t know if it was his magic or the fact that she hadn‟t had a man for so long, but it felt as if he was pulsing even larger within her. Moaning into his shoulder, she licked and nipped at his skin, feeling as if she would never have her fill of him. Was this what he‟d warned her about, when he said mortal women could become addicted to fae sex? In her youth would she have become a slave to his magical dick, always waiting for any opportunity to ride it? As he flipped her so she was on top and taking him even deeper into her body, she sighed with pleasure. This was her second chance, a new beginning all in one night, and if she was going to be strung out, she‟d take in all that he had to offer. “Yes, like that,” she shouted in a voice gone hoarse from screaming. Augusta felt so wanton. She‟d never been prudish when it came to sex but the wisdom of time and the comfort of knowing who she was and what she wanted had her directing and receiving pleasure at a level she‟d never known before. She was powerful and 47

Life in Two Parts vulnerable all at once and she was about to come again and she knew it would be greater than anything she‟d ever known. “Augusta,” Daire shouted, thrusting up with quick, deep strokes that sent her over the edge. She felt pleasure wash over her body as he flipped her onto her back and glided in and out of her at a frenzied pace that almost seemed manic. With one final push deep into her core, he came with a roar that caused delicious little quakes to flood her body. Pulling her into his arms, she nestled into his embrace and listened to the sounds of their labored breathing. Smiling, she lightly ran her hand against his forearm wrapped around her middle and thought about what a great idea this was. It was better than she could have ever imagined. “How do you feel?” Dáire asked, placing a soft kiss in her hair. “I‟d say great but I‟m afraid that you‟ll gloat,” she replied, pulling his body closer to hers. Chuckling, Dáire pulled some of her curls back and kissed the outer shell of her ear. “The sound of your voice hoarse from screaming your pleasure is reason enough for me to gloat,” he whispered, causing little fissures of electricity to travel through her body. 48

Janet Eckford Moaning, she arched her body into his and felt the excitement of anticipation take hold as he grew hard and heavy behind her. This must be another perk of a Fae lover, quick recovery period. “Well aren‟t we a greedy little puss,” he cooed in a husky voice as he slipped his fingers into her wet folds. “Again so soon, my love?” The tenderness of his question caused Augusta‟s breath to catch. She‟d known Dáire for so many years and had heard him use so many endearments, mostly to annoy her, over those years but never said in a voice like that. Tears began to prick at the backs of her eyes and she couldn‟t really say why. No, that was a lie. She knew why, but the knowing was too sad for a moment that could only last this night. This was better than she could have ever imagined and when she woke up tomorrow she wanted it to be better than any regret she could have ever had. “Yes, again so soon, my love,” she whispered softly to him, turning into his embrace and what he had to offer.

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Chapter Seven Augusta stretched and yawned, feeling muscles not used in a very long time protest with satisfaction. She felt good, no, she felt so beyond good that great couldn‟t even describe the pleasure that seemed to be locked into her body at the very cellular level. Pushing a tangle of curls out of her eyes, she turned and looked at Dáire sleeping peacefully next to her in bed. Reaching out, she pushed a lock of hair from his forehead and smiled. Gently tracing the lines and angles of his face, she didn‟t know how she was going to ever thank him for what he did. He‟d given her a chance at her “what if” and it was far better than her imagination could have ever conjured. Slipping slowly out of bed, she tried to be as quiet as possible as she made her way to the bathroom. She was going to shower and get ready for her day so she could make him the best breakfast he‟d ever had. Feeling particularly energized, she bounced a little as she went into the bathroom thinking that after the marathon sex-a-thon they‟d had into the wee hours of the morning, she deserved a good old fashioned southern breakfast. 50

Janet Eckford Shutting the bathroom door behind her, she hummed as she reached to open the skylight in the room and opened the blinds to the small window that looked out onto her backyard. She wanted the room flooded with natural light, as she got ready. Turning toward her mirror, she felt the smile she‟d been wearing so proudly freeze on her face. Stifling a scream, she turned quickly and flung her bathroom door open and stormed into her room. “Dáire, wake up right now!” she yelled pulling on the covers that were covering the lower half of his body. Looking at him lying in her bed naked and semi aroused, she realized that she probably didn‟t make the best decision. Searching the floor of her room she began picking up his clothes and throwing them at him. “What is wrong with you woman?” he growled now fully awake, having been smacked in the face with his pants. “Look at me and ask me that question again,” Augusta shouted, placing her hands on her hips in a defensive stance. The slow perusal he gave her made Augusta very aware of her nakedness. His going from semi hard to fully hard as he looked at her was also a glaring 51

Life in Two Parts endorsement that having an argument while naked probably wasn‟t the best idea. Sighing, she went over to her closet and pulled out one of the housedresses she wore when she was lounging around. “Pity,” Dáire said with a smirk on his face. “Don‟t be cute. Look at me. I didn‟t change back,” she said feeling unsettled. “I don‟t understand what you mean?” Augusta squinted her eyes at him because the question was asked in such a benign, detached manner that she knew Dáire was avoiding the truth. Watching him put his pants on, leaving the top buttons unfastened; she pinched her lips together and tapped her foot. When he walked toward the bathroom she jumped into his path. “You‟re lying,” she stated bluntly. “No, my love, I really don‟t understand what you mean. I don‟t know what this „change back‟ you‟re referring to is,” he replied with a raised brow. She hated that superior look he got when he thought she was being foolish. Over the years she‟d often fantasized about snatching it right off of his face. “I‟m still young. That‟s what I‟m talking about. Look at me, I‟m still young,” she shouted, feeling panic rising up inside. She‟d only asked for one night and even though 52

Janet Eckford at several points in their love making she‟d secretly thought about what it would be like to wake up the next day and be able to continue as they were, she‟d placed it in the category of another “what if” that could never be explored. Now, she didn‟t even know what the hell was going on. But whatever it was it needed to stop because there was no way she could explain to her friends and family how she‟d become a thirty something young woman again. “Augusta, must you shout. Of course you still look young. I gave you what you wished for,” Dáire said in a slow tone that implied he was talking to a child. Shocked, she could only stare at him with her mouth gaping open. Using the tips of his fingers he closed her mouth, leaned in, and kissed her gently on the forehead before he stepped around her and walked into the bathroom. The sound of running water was the only thing that galvanized her into action because her brain was having a difficult time computing what he‟d just told her. Rushing into the bathroom, her argument died on her lips at the sight of Dáire sudsing up in her shower. She‟d had the bathroom remolded a couple of years back when she found it was getting hard for her to step in and out of the shower. Instead of the 53

Life in Two Parts tub/shower combo she‟d created an open space that didn‟t require a curtain and had multiple showerheads strategically placed so water stayed contained in one area. It always made her feel as if she was standing outside. It was freeing in a way, but as soap and water trickled down Dáire‟s golden toned body she‟d wished for the barrier of a shower curtain. “Are you going to join me?” he asked before he put his head under the spray, rinsing out his glorious, dark locks. Augusta‟s mouth suddenly went dry just as her body started to heat up. Watching him slowly run the soap over his skin was almost hypnotic enough for her to forget why she‟d come charging into the bathroom in the first place. Almost, because when he opened his eyes and gave her a smoky looked filled with sexual promise she snapped back to reality. “That is so not going to work on me,” she stated with a huff, sounding a bit like her niece, Claire. The sound of his musical laughter caused her skin to prickle with longing. She‟d heard that sound enough last night while he was taking her to the very peaks of pleasure that she‟d forever associate it with sex. “I believe it worked quite well last night and from the way your body is reacting to me, I bet it‟s 54

Janet Eckford working even better this morning,” he smirked, giving her a knowing look. “Dáire, can you please be serious for five seconds. Why haven‟t I changed back?” She didn‟t bother to hide the worry in her voice. “You said you love me, that you wanted to live for me, so I gave you that. Was it a lie, Augusta?” The cold steel quality of his voice caused her to shiver. “No…I…no, I do love you but that‟s not what I asked for,” she stuttered on her words feeling confused and strangely hopeful at the same time. Turning off the water angrily and grabbing a towel, Dáire dried himself with jerky movements. Augusta watched in fascination as he began to talk to himself in a language she‟d never heard him use before. It was comprised of words that seemed to slide off his tongue and evaporate into the air before she‟d even gotten a chance to grasp a pattern in them. What she did understand was Dáire was pissed and she‟d never seen him like that before. “You told me that you loved me, that you wanted to live for me. I asked you if you were sure and you said yes, Augusta. I‟ve told you to never wish something from the fae without being completely sure it was what you wanted. You said you wanted to live for me,” he turned toward her with a look of such 55

Life in Two Parts anguish that it made Augusta‟s heart seem to stop beating for a second. “You tricked me,” she said with awe. “I gave you what you wished for. You said you loved me.” Anguish was now replaced with anger and Augusta was starting to see the side of Dáire that allowed him to be a prince amongst his people. “Will you stop saying that, like I was the one who lied. I still love you. What I want to know is why I‟m young?” She moved to touch him but the cold look on his face froze her in her place. “You wished to start again, to have the life with me that you denied yourself. I did not trick you Augusta. I gave you what you wished for, a life with me,” he answered her in a cool manner. “I meant for one night and you know that,” she replied feeling lost. “You didn‟t say that. You said you wanted a life with me and that is what I have given you.” Dáire, I meant one night. Just one night.” “Well, you should have said that because I gave you what you wished for. I‟ve told you enough over the years to be wary of making wishes with the fae. We don‟t lie but we are not governed by the same rules and regulations as mortals. You wished for a life with 56

Janet Eckford me, you said that you loved me and I have given you that and have gotten what I always wanted.” The last part of his statement was said with such an infusion of passion that it caught Augusta off guard. They‟d said they loved each other several times last night, and though she‟d believed him in the moment, she‟d never thought it could be as deep as it was reflected in his words and the expression on his face now. She wanted to believe but it all just seemed so surreal. “What if I don‟t want this? What if I love you but I really meant just for that one night?” she asked not able to meet his gaze. “Then you go back. You go back to that life without me and you die without me and you never know my love again,” he replied sadly. Augusta was shocked to feel tears running down her face because she couldn‟t remember when she started crying. She was so scared, but didn‟t know how to vocalize that to Dáire. She did love him and in her secret heart of hearts she would have loved to have a life with him but what about the life she had now? Last night it seemed so simple, she‟d have her “what if” and continue to live in her “now”. Looking up at Dáire though, she couldn‟t seem to place what her “now” was and the thought of him never being in it again made 57

Life in Two Parts her sob just a little harder. “My love, I can‟t say I didn‟t know you only meant one night. I saw an opportunity and I took it and if that opportunity was placed before me once more, I‟d take it over and over again. But if you ask me to, if you wish it, I will change you back. I will do that because I love you but I will have to also leave because of the love I feel. I cannot live knowing what I could have had will wither away and die before I have even begun to enjoy it.” Augusta sobbed into Dáire‟s chest as he gathered her to him and poured his heart out. There was a lyrical quality to his words that made her feel as if he was speaking more of an oath than merely the truth. She wanted to be angry and scared but all she felt was the loneliness of never having him again in her life. “But won‟t I still grow old and die? Or did you make me immortal to?” she asked looking up into his jewel green eyes. “We‟ll live in my world where time runs differently from yours. You will eventually grow old and die, my magic is not that strong, but it will be so long in the future that by then I will gladly follow you into death as well,” he stated with such intensity, it made the hairs on Augusta‟s arms stand on end. “But my family and friends, Claire especially, 58

Janet Eckford will wonder what happened to me,” she said, feeling as if the impossible was quickly falling into place. “Come with me,” he gently pulled her back toward her bedroom and pointed to her bed. Augusta froze at the sight of her old body lying peacefully on the bed as if she were dreaming. All evidence of a wild night of sex was gone and instead it looked like it always did before she woke to start her day. There was a sort of morbid fascination looking at herself that way and she moved to reach out to touch the body, just to know it was real, but was pulled back into Dáire‟s arms. “I don‟t understand. How can I be there in the bed but standing with you as well?” she asked looking from the bed to Dáire. “It‟s a construct I‟ve created for your friends and family to mourn. To them you will be dead, while you live your life with me,” he replied while searching her face. “Young again?” “Yes, a life with me.” Augusta looked around the room and the construct that Dáire created and she knew what her choice was going to be. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him gently on the mouth. She‟d had her life and she‟d loved it, but now she‟d 59

Life in Two Parts have another and love it just as much. As his kiss deepened a fleeting thought that had been wiggling in the back of her mind made its way to the front. “When you say my body is young, does that mean it‟s going to start doing all those things young female bodies do?” she asked. “I don‟t understand the question,” Dáire looked down at her with that coolly blank expression he wore when he was avoiding the truth. “I can get pregnant can‟t I? You didn‟t use any protection last night,” she stated feeling a bit of panic rise up again inside of her. “You said you loved me and wished to live for me,” he replied defiantly. Augusta opened her mouth to protest but realized that arguing with a fae was like arguing with water. “New life,” she said smiling up at him. “New life,” he smiled back, kissing her gently on the mouth. What the hell she thought, you only live twice.

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Epilogue “Smile my love, most have traveled a great distance to see you. Please pretend that you‟re marginally excited to greet them,” Dáire whispered into Augusta‟s ear. “My face is starting to hurt,” she murmured through her forced smile. Stifling a chuckle, he gently placed his hand at the small of her back and ran his thumb along the place that caused her body to liquefy. Even through the heavy fabric of her gown he could tell she was reacting to his touch. Nodding to another nobility of the fae that had come to meet his new bride, Dáire didn‟t mind smiling for the both of them. He was beyond happy and it didn‟t matter to him who saw it. He knew that his kin were getting a great deal of enjoyment out of his behavior, mostly at his expense, but he didn‟t care. After that morning when Augusta had chosen him and a life they could have with each other, he‟d swept her away to the places she‟d never been before around the world. He wanted her to experience all that her world had to offer before they crossed the veil into 61

Life in Two Parts his realm, because he couldn‟t guarantee things would be the same if they ever came back. It was seeing the different countries they‟d visited through her eyes that made the trip that much more special to him. “Well brother, you do look well.” The sound of his brother Caedmon‟s voice brought him out of his happy reverie. Out of his three brothers, Caedmon had been the most active in taunting him about his relationship with Augusta. Scowling, he tried to send his brother a look of warning that today was not the day to cross him. “I feel exceptional, brother,” he replied tightly. “Do introduce me to the lovely creature that has caused such a transformation in you,” Caedmon stated in his usual mocking tone, while giving Augusta an appraising look. “Creature! Little boy, you‟ll have to do better than that when addressing me,” Augusta said coolly, placing a hand on her hip. Dáire couldn‟t help smiling at the shocked look on his brother‟s face. He and his three brothers all shared the same coloring, height and physique that made human and fae women swoon when they approached. With his violet-colored eyes and silver tongue, Caedmon liked to consider himself not only the most charming of the group, but the quintessential 62

Janet Eckford ladies‟ man. Smirking, Dáire got a bit of joy knowing Augusta was immune to his charms. “My dear, I‟m far from a little boy,” Caedmon replied with a leer. Snorting, Augusta looked over at Dáire and said, “He‟s serious, isn‟t he.” “I‟m afraid so, my love,” he couldn‟t help smiling smugly at his brother. “This is what happens when there are no women in a family. You all sit up together, colluding on your perceived sexual prowess without that dose of reality that only women can provide.” Shaking her head, Augusta gave the two of them a disgusted look. “Well, I guess it‟s a good thing I‟m going to be taking care of that,” she continued with a dismissive wave of her hand. Gathering her close to him, Dáire placed a kiss on the top of her ornately braided hair. Not prone to public displays of affections amongst his people, he could see a few raised brows—of his guests and particularly his brother Caedmon. “We are most grateful to have you with us to give us that “dose” of reality you speak of, my love,” he replied with a warm smile. “Oh, I‟m not just talking about me. I was referring to the daughter we‟re going to have,” she 63

Life in Two Parts stated, patting her stomach. Dáire felt as if all the air in the room had been sucked out. Looking down at Augusta in shock, he couldn‟t seem to form the words that were bouncing around in his head. It seemed that he wasn‟t the only person at a loss of words. A hush had fallen over the crowd after Augusta‟s declaration. “You look so shocked Dáire,” Augusta whispered, caressing his cheek. “Are you sure?” he asked hesitantly. “Quite,” she replied with a smile. Reaching down, he placed his hand gently on her still flat stomach. It was almost too much for him and yet he knew that there was far more in store. Looking into Augusta‟s eyes, he could only smile and think how happy he was and how right everything felt in his life. “You seem quite confident that it is a girl child. After all, there are four of us,” Caedmon said, breaking the magical moment Dáire was experiencing. “Little boy, when I decide to do something, I make sure to do it right the first time,” Augusta said with a wink. Laughing, Dáire gathered her to him and whispered, “That you do my love, that you do.”

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Janet Eckford

Janet**

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Janet Eckford Like most great superheroes (or super-villains, depending on who‟s telling the story) Janet Eckford lives a double life. By day Janet is a mild-mannered crusader for justice (or nefarious deeds, depending on who‟s telling the story) and by night an indestructible creator of prose (or pathological liar, depending on who‟s telling the story) while munching on her favorite cookies—oatmeal raisin. A native West Coaster who hails from the sunny state of California Janet, has loved the romance genre ever since she convinced her dad it was required reading when she was eleven. Janet believes love shouldn‟t have a color code and strives to create stories that represent that belief. Send her your praise and adoration and she will return it in kind. [email protected]