HER DREAMS ARE TERRIFYING In the year of our One 3075 Tundra has been at piece for 400 years. There is no racism, poverty or war. Karla is a young Indigo woman working as a successful healer. Yet she is tormented by lucid and erotic dreams. Dreams in which she is: IMMORTAL. Two men emerge from these phantasms: the first a Copper Shape shifter and the other a demon more dead than alive. But when this creature appears in her apartment Karla realizes that they share a lust that may one day consume her. HIS WILL UNLOCK A MYSTERY. Joseph always dreamt of becoming an artist, a warrior...and a shape shifter. Now he's dreaming of a sorceress who commands that he leave his homeland. TOGETHER THEY WILL JOURNEY TO THE END OF TIME. To a nightmarish world of revolution and magic. But will they save Tundra or perish in it's destruction?1/ SPECTARSHE was in the basement again. It was pitch black, the onlyillumination a glowing, quarter moon etched into the floor. A burst oflight split the darkness, and she moaned low in her throat.Please, I don’t want to see anymore…I don’t want to look.Yet her feet moved of their own volition, inching toward themark…and the twisted bundle now lying in its center. A man was curledupon the stone. He wasn’t breathing, and his limbs were tiny andwithered. But she knew he wasn’t dead.He wasn’t human.The daemon opened his eyes. I’ve been sleeping. But for howlong? He could feel his arms and legs, but the sensations were muted asif they’d traveled from a great distance.Then he remembered. He’d been imprisoned – snatched from hisbody by the magic that had trapped him here. Even now sleep, like adelicious drug, threatened to overtake him. But he fought it away.How many centuries would pass while he slept?A doorway appeared in his mind and just beyond it, a tatteredclump of flesh and bone…Karla’s eyes flew open – the scream caught in her throat. It’s justa nightmare. I’m Ok. I’m here now, at home.The Indigo woman turned her head to look at the bedroomconsole. Six-thirty glowed on the screen. She scooted out of bed, pickedup a remote from the nightstand and turned off the alarm.Karla walked across the wooden floor of her living area into akitchenette. A press of her fingers on the first sphere of a triangular podstarted coffee brewing.She filled a cup with chicory, walked back into the living area andpushed the second button on her remote, activating a blue panel besidethe window. Jazz music filled the apartment. Like her bedroom consolethe unit kept time, transmitted holographic images and played tapes.Using the third button, she opened the curtains. Curled upon herfuton, the Indigo woman watched as the illuminae changed Topaz’sviolet sky into a mellow shade of peach. She thought of the dreams.For as far back as Karla could remember, she’d had them.Otherworldly, exquisite and always with an unsettling clarity sodifferent from the normal phantasms she read about. When I eat, I wake11up full – and stay that way until lunchtime. If somebody hits me, ithurts like hell…And her dream lover left her limp with satisfaction, even after sheawoke, sure he was still beside her.At night Karla wrote them down, pouring all of her fears anddesires into the notebooks. She spent hours in the library, reading storiesof reincarnation and demonic possession, searching for answers. She’dfound them too – dozens of them. But none could satisfy the yearningthat burned inside her.Every time she closed her eyes to sleep they beckoned, calling toher. Mornings, she awoke like a swimmer who’d been underwater for toolong, grasping for the fabric of reality – moaning with pleasure ortrembling with exhilaration.One night they’re going to swallow me whole. I’ll never wakeup or maybe I’ll just fall through to whatever’s on the other side…andthis new one, something’s different about it. I know the others but thisone – this one scares me so bad I’m afraid to sleep.“What time is it?”The top left knob of her console blinked. “The time is 7:00am,” a pert, female voice replied.Seven o’clock! I’d better hustle! Karla gulped down her coffee,and hurried back into the bedroom to dress.Tehotep watched the tall, slender woman thumb through hercloset. He wasn’t invisible, only dim. As long as he stayed in the shadows,she couldn’t see him. But noise couldn’t be cloaked by magic.The Indigo woman tossed a red knit, shirt and jeans on the bed,slipped off her pajamas and walked into the bathroom. As she steppedinto the shower, the nozzle automatically clicked on, spraying her bodywith water. He followed, standing just beyond the doorway …Karla finished bathing, and Tehotep quickly moved back into theshadows – all the while devouring her with his eyes. Her skin, dewy withmoisture, looked like melting chocolate her nipples, blackberries.She toweled off her full breasts and long legs and he licked hislips imagining the things he would do with her – to her – the endlessperversions he’d force her to submit to. Things she’d come to enjoy,when she tried to please him.The young woman walked into the bedroom. He watched herpull up her panties, hook her bra, slip her arms into the straps. Imageafter image flooded his mind. Tehotep felt himself harden; a soft groanescaped his lips…12Karla froze then stared into the corner facing her bed. It’s only abunch of dirty clothes, you’re hearing things!In that instant he appeared: an Indigo man with full lips, slantingonyx eyes and a shaven head. Voluminous garments hung from hismuscular frame. Their eyes locked, and she gasped in recognition. Thedark man smiled, nodded his head…And vanished.Karla gazed at the pile of laundry – all that remained of him –and wondered if she’d lost her mind. With trembling hands she finisheddressing her thoughts scurrying about like rats in a maze. It’s him! Ididn’t imagine it! He was here, but that’s impossible –!There was a knock at the door and she jumped. Get it togethergirl, that’s the twins.She walked into the living room, picked up her remote andpointed it at the entrance. It slid open and the eight-year-old twins,Carlos Jr. and Ashley, small and brown like their mother, raninside.Ashley’s shoulder length braids were tied off with ribbons.“Good morning Karla,” they sang in unison, hugging her.“Good morning love bugs. What do you want for breakfast?”“Waffles,” said Ashley.Carlos Jr. flapped his hand at his sister. “You always wantwaffles.Make mine French toast.”When Karla and the twins’ mother had first become friends,Tatiana and Carlos were both working nights, and she’d offeredto make breakfast for their children during the week. That was two yearsago.Now Tatiana worked as a beautician, although her mate stillworked evening shifts at the metal emporium. But fixing meals for thetwins had become a habit Karla didn’t want to break. She was crazyabout them, and Topaz’s food prices were next to nothing.“Coming right up.” The dark woman took milk and breakfastpellets from her cold box, and slid the nuggets into a diamond shapedoven. In twenty seconds, they expanded with heat.“Done,” the oven announced. The children sat at the table, justoutside the kitchenette.Karla served them, walked into the living area and took a cipherfrom the box on the coffee table. She lit it and puffed nervously; with theother hand combing her fingers through her short,13wavy hair.“Smoking is stinky,” Ashley pronounced her mouth full ofwaffles.“Don’t talk with your mouth full.” How did he get in myapartment? Piss on that! How did he get out?“Mommy’s mad at Daddy ‘cause he ain’t been home in twodays!” Carlos Jr. announced, snapping her back to the present.“Hasn’t, not ain’t and your mother probably wants to tell meabout it herself,” Karla scolded gently.“Yeah,” piped Ashley, “don’t tell family business.” There was aknock at the door, she opened it and Tatiana strolled in: an Indigowoman with her hair coiled into tiny braids.“Hey girl.” Tatiana greeted her.“Hey yourself, want some coffee?”“Definitely,” the petite woman flopped on the couch, “Kidshurry up; the transport unit will be here in minute.”After the twins left for school, the women sat on Karla’s futondrinking coffee.“Carlos hasn’t been home in two days.”“Your son already told me.” Karla eyed her friend with concern.“So what are you gonna do?”“I don’t know.”“You said the next time he pulled this shit, you were gonna puthim out.”Tatiana stared into her cup. “When he comes back, I’ll talk tohim –really talk to him,” she mumbled. “He‘s got to get it together, orfind someplace else to stay.”“Yeah, you said that last time too.”“Karla he’s a good man and he loves me, he’s just got issues! Hisdaddy used to beat him up. Carlos gets depressed when he thinks aboutit so he smokes rush. He doesn’t do it every day – ”The dark woman gritted her teeth. “Ti, I don’t wanna hear thatshit! He’s a junkie – if he was serious about dealing with his addiction,he’d check into a clinic!”Tatiana’s small, oval face narrowed with anger. “I’m not one ofyour residents so don’t preach to me, Ok? It’s my life and my man!”“I’m not trying to preach,” Karla said softly. She touched herfriend’s hand. “It’s just that you deserve better – better than him. Youneed a man that’s gonna be there for you all the time. Not somebodywho keeps giving you love, and taking it back.”14“Look, I know what you’re saying, up here,” Tatiana tapped theside of her head with her fingertip, “but relationships aren’t simple,they’re tangled like vines. You don’t make up your mind to leavesomeone you love just like that.” She snapped her fingers for emphasis.“You ever been in love?”“Uh-huh, I have.”“Really, with who? I mean, I’ve never seen you with anybody formore than a few months.”“With – ” a brown face appeared in her mind’s eye. Loved.Cherished. But Karla had never met him – not while she was awake. Shelooked sheepish. “It’s been a while.”The Indigo woman furrowed her brow. “So long ago you don’tremember his name? Then you weren’t in love.”Karla avoided Tatiana’s searching eyes. “I don’t wanna talk abouthim,” she fumbled for the words to stop her friend’s questions, “it’s toopainful.”“Oh, it’s like that huh? I understand…Karla, he took my IDcard.”“Damn! How’re you going to make through the week?”The petite woman shrugged. “I’ll figure something out.” She sether cup on the table. “Thanks for the coffee.”“You need some credits?”“Probably…I’ll let you know. You better get going.”Karla activated the door lock then watched Tatiana slowly climbthe steps to her flat. How could Carlos do this to her again?The elderly woman held the curtain back from her window. Shewas short with large eyes, a wide nose and full lips a shade lighter thanher ebony skin. Her thick salt and pepper hair was twisted into twobraids atop her head. Her calico spotted cat, Nutmeg, rubbed against herlegs, meowing plaintively, but she ignored him.Opal watched the tall, Indigo woman descend the stairs and crossthe street. Once Karla was out of sight, she opened the door, walkeddown the hallway to the back exit and followed the brick path into hergarden.There was a pecan and cherry tree, a profusion of roses, lilacs anddaises, and the bees were having their breakfast. The garden square washemmed in by apartment buildings and faced a tool shed.She continued down the end of the path to the shed. This timeNutmeg didn’t follow and he’d ceased to beg for attention. Instead, he15sat solemnly on his haunches and watched her pick up a can of oil, and arag from beside the doorway.Opal oiled the door hinges and wiped away the excess. Shesquirted more oil on the cloth and rubbed it into the door.Anyone observing this ritual would see an elderly womanpolishing a tool shed. If they looked more closely, they’d notice herwhispering to herself and think she was senile. And that was just finewith her.The old woman stepped back: admiring her handiwork. Shestrolled up the little path, and took a seat in one of the cushioned lawnchairs beneath her trees. Nutmeg stopped harassing the bees, boundedover and wound himself around her legs.Opal reached down and stroked his back. The illuminae wasbeautiful today. Perhaps she’d linger a bit and enjoy it.Dressed in breeches and sandals, Joie rode through the forestof his ancestors. The illuminae filtered through the trees, sketchingfiligrees in the mulch below.The warrior was tall, with reddish brown skin, almond eyesand high cheekbones. Jet black hair hung loosely about his shoulders.Silver and turquoise rings dangled from his ears and wrists.Joie was half asleep, his muscular thighs loosely gripping themare’s flanks, for she knew the way to their favorite stream better thanhe did.They reached the brook and he dismounted, kneeled andsplashed water upon his face and neck, finally cupping a pool in hishands to drink.“Joseph…” He glanced around, instantly wary. The forest wasteaming with supernatural life – and not all of it friendly.Among the most dangerous were Wood Sprites – forestsuccubae that took the form of human women to capture men. Theirvictims slowly starved to death, losing all grasp of time as theylanguished in their captor’s embrace.A mahogany shaded woman emerged from the grove of trees to his right...Copyright Valjeanne Jeffers-Thompson 2007, 2009 all rights reservedavailable at www.blacksciencefictionsociety.com Storewww.amazon.comMEDU Bookstore Atlanta GA& The Know Bookstore Durham NC
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