Here’s a short story related to Madness and Wonder. It happens during book one, but will not be in the book. Enjoy (& please like if you do):
It all started for Diane with a eighteenth birthday gift from her grandmother. The tarot deck was expected. Her mom and grandmother had been telling her she had the gift since she could barely talk, and she’d been reading cards since she was seven. So she needed a new deck, but her grandmothers ring was an unexpected and treasured additional gift. It was a family heirloom, and when she was little she loved sneaking into her grandma’s room to catch a glimpse of it in the jewelry box. Her mother told her once that the only way they were able to bring it with them from Greece was in the digestive tract of her great grandmother. Despite her mom’s queasy looks at the ring for it’s origin, the lengths her ancestor went to to keep it in the family fascinated Diane.
It wouldn’t be a valuable ring to the outside world, being silver filigree with a single faceted clear stone set deep. It wasn’t a diamond, but in candlelight it sparkled with every color Diane could imagine. Her mom had said it was just quartz, but Diane’s grandmother said it was something more rare that common quartz. Her grandmother said it had been handed down since the oracle at Delphi was gifted it by a god. Diane wasn’t sure the ring was that old, but it was a good family story and it did hold fire well beyond any other quartz she’d ever compared it to. Diane still couldn’t believe that it was hers now. It should have gone to Diane’s mother, but she could never get over its mode of transportation to the United States. Diane, though, had always been fascinated by the sparkly rock as much as it’s sorted past.
One night, while Diane was practicing her tarot skills with her new deck, something caught her eye. She caught a flash of a shade of bronze she’d never noticed twinkling from the rock. She rocked her hand slowly in the candlelight, looking at all the colors shining from within the faceted stone, until she caught the same pale shade of brown again. Diane had always been mesmerized by the stone, but the metallic brown with flecks of green drew her into an almost trancelike state. Something pulled at her mind, making her pay attention only to the soft sparkle, and before she knew it she had hypnotized herself. With a lurch from her stomach she felt herself fall from her body, making Diane think of Alice falling down the rabbit hole. As she moved further from her body she smelled something muskie and tangy, but not unpleasant. Something innately masculine. She knew her body remained sitting at the old card table, but her soul became linked to the color sparkling from the stones facet.
As another disoriented moment passed she found herself standing before a man roughly her age. He had been running, but stopped short just shy of Diane to avoid knocking her down. He had dark brown hair wet with sweat, and stubble that wasn’t quite a beard. He was of average height, which meant he was a little shorter than Diane, with a wiry build. He wore a clinging black t-shirt, baggy green cargo pants, and beat up half laced combat boots. Diane realized two things as she took in this stranger. First, the muskie smell was coming from him and, second, his eyes were an almost metallic hazel that matched the facets color perfectly.
The man panted, catching his breath, and stared at her with shocked curiosity. He seemed to be taking in her piles of blond curls and blue eyes in much the same way she was looking at him. It made Diane wonder what he was thinking, seeing a girl appear before him in a teal peasant top and a long flowing dark blue skirt.
She glanced aside and found them in a small moon lit forest clearing. But before either spoke, the moment of amazement was broken by a growling howl from the darkness not far behind them. Without hesitation, he grabbed Diane in a fireman’s carry and ran further into the dark wood. Over his shoulder, she could see something large in pursuit, but couldn’t make out more than a furry shape on all fours moving towards them very fast.
The man was quick and agile, seeming to carry Diane with little effort. He easily jumped over old downed trees, and ducked them under low branches. It made Diane feel a little like she was on an amusement park ride. After a few minuets running, they had given themselves a good distance from the chasing monster, but the man did not slow.
He jumped over a large mossy log and abruptly stopped, tucking them both dexterously into a hollow formed between the trunk and a large standing tree. Diane found herself deposited against the log mostly blocked by the panting man. She opened her mouth to speak, but found two fingers on her lips despite his attention clearly searching the surrounding forest. At first Diane was a little annoyed by the gesture, but within a second she could hear something large and perilously close run past them. They both held their breath until the crashing sound of the thing running faded in the distance.
Diane let out a relieved breath, but they both stayed still, listening. The forest was utterly silent, and that was unnerving to Diane. She couldn’t remember being in any forest that didn’t have the sounds of little rodents moving through underbrush at night, or crickets, or even a night bird or two. She also became aware that the man’s body was pressed against hers. She knew that he was keeping her under cover and protected, but she was also aware of how hard his heart was pounding because she was pressed to his chest. This guy didn’t read as a classic athlete type, but at this close proximity Diane was starting to notice that he really was quite fit. She didn’t want to admit it, but the close proximity and the whole chivalrous save was making Diane a little hot under the collar. As she breathed in his salty musk, awkwardly trying not to notice the heat of his body against hers, he continued to alertly scan the forest for sign of the thing that was chasing him.
After a few more moments the hushed natural sounds began to return to the forest, and Diane cleared her throat quietly. The man quickly moved back, rolling to a kneading position to give her space to move. He gave the night forest another scan, then turned his attention to Diane. He looked at her like he was just now really aware of the woman he had carried through the woods and had given cover to.
“Sorry. I was just trying to make sure it had gone.” He stood and dusted his hands on his pants as Diane pulled herself from the alcove and seated herself on the log. “Man, never steal from a blath beast. They get really testy when you run, you don’t want ’em catching you. But what a rush, huh?”
Diane suddenly realized that the man wasn’t running from a evil monster as much as escaping from a heist, and laughed. As she picked damp dead leaves out of her hair and off her clothes, the man straddled the log facing her, making the moment more intimate but somehow still socially acceptable. His body language was open and trusting in a way that made her think of carefully calculated positions from a psyche class demonstration. Diane wondered if he was consciously displaying his vulnerable core as a show of trust or if he was just trying to get her to look at his crotch, to her surprise either option somehow amused her rather than turned her off. Diane considered how he managed to sit close enough that she could smell his earthy aroma and almost feel the heat that rolled off him, but not too near to make Diane feel crowded. She decided that he definitely had an agenda.
He extended his hand. “Frank. Nice to meet you.”
“Diane.” She supplied as she shook his extended hand, and noted his confident grip.
“Mind if I ask how you came to appear in the clearing just as I was running through it?” Frank said with much curiosity, continuing to hold Diane’s hand.
“Would you believe astral projection?” Diane said with a shrug, sounding unsure herself.
Frank laughed, releasing her hand to run it through his hair, then shifted to a look of deep thought. “If you are an astral projection, how did I pick you up?”
Diane hesitated, and shrugged. She didn’t want to admit that she was probably only slightly more informed than him on how she ended up standing in front of him. Lucky for her, Frank sidetracked himself.
“Not that I meant pick you up, pick you up. I meant carry you… Not that I wouldn’t be interested in picking you up, your’e really hot… Shit, this really isn’t coming out right.” He shook his head wistfully.
“‘S ok, I did’t mind being picked up in this situation.” Diane smiled, purposefully not saying which pick up she meant.
Frank’s smile widened. “I like you, Diane. You make me curious.”
“Thank you,” she cocked her head to one side and gave him an appraising look. “I think.” Diane tried to read him the way her grandmother had taught her, and felt a little thrill with a warm glow. She took an intuitive leap. “You’re a bit of a rogue aren’t you?”
“I don’t know, I think I’d go more with scoundrel than rogue.” He said raising an eyebrow and leaning just a little closer.
Diane let out a puff of laughter. “I think I might like you a bit too, Frank, you entertain me.” She said feeling her heart pound at his nearness.
Frank made intimate eye contact with Diane, and leaned close enough that his breath brushed a stray ringlet of Diane’s hair against her cheek. The anticipation between them was palpable, and Diane felt almost queasy with butterflies. “The mystery woman who appears from out of nowhere might like me.” He paused, looking her over in a way that made Diane feel very exposed. “I’d be crazy if I didn’t try to get that might turned into a does.” He again met her eyes, and a sincerity shone in his hazel eyes that caught Diane off balance. “Why the hesitation?”
Diane took a deep breath to keep her composure, and tried to ignore Frank’s animal magnetism. “Well, in the few minutes I’ve known you, you’ve already admitted to being a thief.” Diane added silently in her head, ‘but that just makes you hotter for some reason.’ She continued out loud, “And, I can feel an impish nature to you.” Then also mentally added ‘impish, sexy…’
“If that’s all you’re worried about, I promise to only ever steal your heart.” He flirted as he boldly put a hand on her leg. “And I’d never fence it. Swear to god.” Diane’s breath caught in her throat with Frank’s touch, but she soon forgot all about breathing as he leaned up and kissed her firmly. He grabbed the nape of her neck with his free hand and dug his fingers into her silky golden curls As he continued to kiss Diane urgently. Raw power emanated from him, making Diane want to melt into his touch. Diane kissed back, turning her torso to face him and placing a hand on his firm chest. He followed her lead, squeezing her thigh before sliding his hand up her leg and around her waist, under her loose peasant top. Frank pulled Diane against him with such force that it made her gasp.
He leaned back slightly, and grinned victoriously. “No more might?” He asked playfully.
Diane thought about it for less than a second, then nodded in agreement. “You’re winning me over.” She said feigning disinterest, but unable to keep a small smile from her lips. “But, why steal from a ferocious monster?”
Frank stroked the skin just above her waistband. “Same reason I kissed the beautiful stranger. I wanted to see if I could. Shit, I live for a good challenge.” He kissed her again, this time a little softer and more lingering.
Diane tried not to squirm with building desire, but with the slightest roll of her hips Frank responded eagerly. He parted her lips with a deep and probing kiss as his hands traveled behind her skirts waistband to grope her bare bottom and pull her hip tight against him. He rubbed against Diane and made her gasp with the feeling of his hard ready member. She had been letting herself get carried away by his confidant seduction, but feeling him press against her so eagerly snapped her out of it.
She pulled away from his embrace and sprung to her feet. “Hey, I may like you, but I’m not about to go that far with a strange man.”
Frank groaned, falling forward acrobatically and giving the trunk a quick hip thrust before catching his weight with his arms, lifting himself in a quick sun salutation kind of a stretch, and rolling himself into a relaxed side recline, all without falling off the log. “Oh, Diane,” he sighed, “why can’t we just enjoy a moment in the woods?”
Diane froze, and looked at Frank curiously. “Sondheim?”
Frank looked momentarily caught, but turned it to a flirting grin. “I’m charming not sincere?”
Diane smacked Frank’s shoulder, “You are so, so, not going to pick me up with lines from a musical. Especially not acting like a charming brother.”
He caught her hand after she hit him and sat up, holding it in both his hands. “So, if I used a line from the baker we’d be good?” He laughed, as Diane pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry, I’m just a playful guy who saw a musical on a field trip once.” He crossed his legs and tried to look more serious. “Please don’t be mad. I was only joking, I can be charming and sincere. I know we don’t know each other, but I do really like you. And I would like to get to know you.” His mischievous smile slid back across his face, “Especially if you’d like to kiss me again. I would really enjoy getting to know you if there was a potential for…” He let his words trail and the suggestion made Diane tingle in private places.
“I’d like to get to know you without feeling like a piece of meat.” Diane sighed, trying to shake her attraction to him.
“I will never see you as meat, and I’m sorry I called you a conquest.” Frank sincerely promised, “My attraction to you is not that shallow, when I look into your eyes…” He trailed of momentarily lost in her gaze. Frank shook his head to regain focus. “But I won’t pretend that there isn’t heat between us. You did kiss me back.”
Diane blushed. “You have a point.”
“You are a fascinating mystery, and definitely not meat, but you do make me hungry.” He said looking at her like he could see through her clothes.
Diane instinctively covered herself, and blushed deeper, but made no move away from Frank. “You’re a mystery for me too. I saw your eyes sparkle from a facet in my ring, and I found myself standing before you. Are you connected to my family heirloom?” She tried to pull the conversation away from lust, because his confident seduction was working more than she wanted to admit.
Frank looked a little surprised, “Can’t think of why I’d be connected to a ring, I’m not really a jewelry kind of guy.” He paused in thought. “Maybe your magic teleporting ring knew we’d be a good match and decided to introduce us.” Frank jumped lithely to his feet and stepped so close to Diane that he was entirely in her shadow. He leaned so close to the side of her face that she felt the brush of his stubble on her cheek. Frank whispered smoothly, “Fate is a great reason to give in to desire.” He then took Diane into his arms and kissed her once almost chastely.
Diane was speechless, and thought looking into his bronze flecked eyes did feel a little like home. She did believe in fate, especially where her mothers line was involved. Her tarot readings were always spot on. Why wouldn’t she be brought to a man she was meant to be with? Diane wrapped her arms around Frank and kissed him the way he had just before she stood. But now, they both rubbed against each other and frantically explored with happily groping hands. Frank moaned and ground against her as Diane grabbed his ass and kissed him deeper.
“Fuck, this is the hottest thing that has ever happened to me.” He gasped, before burying his face in her ample cleavage and running his tongue over the little exposed swells of her breasts. “God, you feel so good rubbing against me. I can’t even imagine how much better you would feel naked.” He sighed, kissing his way up her neck. They kissed again, both grunting with building pleasure as they pressed ever tighter together. Frank again slid his hands under her shirt, and then following the curve of her lower back, slid his hands along her flesh to grab her bare ass. Diane gasped as he lifted her, rubbing her against the hard bulge in his pants. She eagerly wrapped her legs around him, and ground against him with faster strokes. “Oh, God.” He whispered into their urgent kisses. “Oh, fuck yea,” he moaned a little louder.
Franks enthusiasm increased Diane’s pleasure too, and soon they were groping and grinding so hard that they could no longer focus on kissing because they were both crying out in ecstasy. In a rush of warmth and an explosion of sensation they both screamed as they climaxed.
Diane woke with a start. She sat up, disoriented for a moment, as she grasped that she was back at the card table. She groggily pealed a tarot card from her cheek, it must have stuck there as she slept with her head down on the cards. She looked at the card, and laughed, thinking ‘of course it was the lovers’. She felt a little disappointed that Frank was a dream, but also deeply satisfied in a way she had never felt waking from a dream. This was definitely after glow. She looked down at the heirloom ring, and couldn’t find that same shade of bronze with green flecks now. She wondered if the ring had really transported her spirit to his, and vowed to try to repeat the journey again the next night. And also, a bit guiltily, decided that if she did find him again, she would get to know this smooth talker in a less physical way. She was sure there was more to him than sensuality and knowing the same musical.
She looked at the ring, and wondered if she focused on another color, would it take her somewhere else? Had she just discovered something truly magical? She liked the idea that she might now explore the universe in a way she had never even conceived of before. Deep down she knew this was a new kind of travel, or a very old kind of travel that had been long forgotten. A certainty settled over her, just like it did reading cards. Frank was real, and had been in a dream. She knew when he slept she would find the sparkle in his exact eye color, and be able to see him again.
Travel by facet was an idea she couldn’t wait to share with her grandmother, only she decided to leave out all the adult bits. Diane knew she was old enough, but she also knew her grandmother needed to see Diane in a more innocent light. She wasn’t sure if travel by facet excited her more or the idea of a fated boyfriend she met in a dream, but both were revelations.