Inner Magnets

“Our inner magnets are invariably guided by love.”

The following preview is of Chapter XIV of INNER MAGNETS, Volume Two of our quantum fiction/magic realism quartet, THE TAMMABUKKU CHRONICLES. In this chapter, David and Lia’s wedding day grows closer and closer, and we see her relationship with David’s family and other loved ones. The character introduced in this scene is not one of David’s loved ones, however.

Link to the first two books: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079VV7NM1/

One afternoon in late July, when David and Lia were riding the motorcycle on the road to Kirkbymoorside, they passed a faded Victorian manor house which he’d always thought exuded a cold and disturbing vibration. Today the mansion was even more unsettling than usual. As they passed, a hulking Stuart Peacock, a descendant of the Peacock clan so reviled by the Leys and the Graysons, was on the front lawn, chasing a kid on a scooter off the estate. They could hear him screaming at the frightened boy for encroaching upon private Peacock property.

“This is the old Peacock estate alright,” she sighed. “A century later, and the Peacocks are still sour and grimacing.”

“Every time I see that glowering face I want to puke,” David snapped. “It’s the same expression that I remember George having.”

“I can’t say he looks like George, who was plump, round-faced, puffy and pasty with reddish hair and wide-set eyes. This guy is slender, long-faced and a dirty blond with close-set eyes. He’d have decent enough features if they weren’t perpetually set in a grimace.”

They pulled over at a local market to get water. “I’ve seen Stuart Peacock several times in town. Every time he sees me he glares like he did just now. I heard he’s been complaining to the townsfolk that rock musicians bring in the wrong element. Philip Sykes told Stuart off one day when he declared that only another evil warlock would buy the house of Nathaniel Ley. Stuart went on to say that the area had suffered enough because of depraved Occultists, and residents shouldn’t accept this so readily. He actually claimed that Nathaniel and I must be working in tandem from separate dimensions. I’m hardly surprised. This nitwit is the descendant of old George, who hated Daniel beyond measure for supposedly stealing Cecilia away from him—as if you can steal someone who was never yours in the first place.”

“I would love to have been a fly on the wall when George Peacock came to Beak’s End to ask for Cecilia’s hand in marriage. I don’t know how he ever thought he’d get past Papa, but George Peacock brought delusional to a new level.”

“I noticed that Stuart Peacock wasn’t giving you any dirty looks. I’m sure he was thinking ‘what a terrible shame it is that such a comely lass fell victim to that evil rock star warlock who’s in cahoots with Nathaniel Ley’s ghost.’”

“And now you two ‘depraved evil warlocks’ are going to lead poor uninitiated me down the path to Hell.”

“Ah, yes, the Devil’s Mass will take place in the hidden room next Friday the 13^that midnight. Lucifer just texted—Beelzebub and Belial will be joining us. Maybe Veronique will make the absurdity complete and appear with a bloody butcher knife.”

Lia did a fake shudder. “Is that when you’re going to sacrifice me on the altar?”  

Giving her a wicked grin, David replied, “If I ever put you on that altar, I guarantee you won’t be feeling any pain.”

“I like the sound of that,” she purred. “The altar is one place we haven’t tried yet.”

Just as he was about to respond, Stuart Peacock drove by. He glared at David and looked intently at Lia, the latter causing David’s fists to clench. He couldn’t help laughing when Lia said, “It seems the Peacock men are as pompous and pissy as they ever were.”

“Yeah, and they still look like sunburned Pillsbury Dough Boys with a stick up their ass.”

Lia snickered. “Only George Peacock could believe Daniel was the only thing standing between him and wedded bliss with Cecilia. Maybe old George has been reborn—who knows?”

“Then he remains as big an asshole as he ever was. A new edition of George Peacock—our rebirth is complete. Seriously though, I’m sensing he’s someone other than George. Stuart is just one of George’s wretched descendants. It must be in their DNA to be gaping anuses.”

“Gaping anuses? I haven’t heard that one for a century.”

“If that cretin looks at you again, I’ll corroborate his worst fears, and ask Nathaniel to help me. Papa Ley will always be up for kicking Peacock butt. Peacock bashing was a rite of male bonding for him and Daniel—a shared visceral loathing that transcended all reason.”

Lia shook her head. “I can hear Papa and Uncle Ambrose laughing, and I’m seriously disappointed in all three of you.”

“Sorry, Shekinah, we can’t take the high road all the time,” he retorted, knowing she was kidding. “Something about this guy irks the shit out of me—beyond the fact he is a Peacock and bad mouths me all over town.”

“The three of you thought the Peacocks were worse than the bubonic plague.”

“And we were right. The assholism of the Peacock men outlived the plague.”

Love Me Slowly

A sexy moan escaping her, she whispered, “I want this moment to last for eternity, so love me slowly.

The following preview is of chapter VIII of INNER MAGNETS, Volume Two of our magic realism/quantum fiction quartet, THE TAMMABUKKU CHRONICLES. In this chapter, Lia’s resistance about letting David in again at last crumbles, and the pair are finally back together.

Link to the first two books: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079CPZ9SH/

He forced himself to take one last look across the street at Central Park. It had been drizzling all day, but he found the fine mist refreshing. He noticed the clouds were growing increasingly darker, matching his mood.

As always, there were endless streams of people on Central Park South, but the sight of one solitary and still figure in a short olive green cape raincoat jumped out at him. And then the wind blew her ginger hair. Although her sunglasses were large, he knew the curve of the face wearing them, just as he knew those long, toned and bare legs in those short black boots. Dismissing the driver, he grabbed his bag and bolted out of the car.

The moment she realized he’d spotted her, she started running, and he knew she was going to go down the stairs towards the pond. He dashed across Central Park South, dodging cars and horse carriages, and managed to keep her in his sight as she ran along the pond. When she looked back for a second to see if he was still right behind her, the fervent look in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. Even if she wasn’t sure of what she wanted yet, he knew this was the sign he’d been waiting for. He deliberately let her get ahead, and then started to close in on her as she turned towards the Gapstow Bridge. She was headed straight to the area near the ice skating rink and nature sanctuary. This time he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

When she cut across the grass, that was it—she was almost his. She tried her best to keep running, but she seemed to be growing tired. He wasn’t one bit tired though and accelerated his pace. When she looked back and saw him right behind her, he could see the fire of the chase in her eyes. She started running again, picking up some speed, but only enough speed to make the chase more exhilarating.

Upon catching up with her, he seized her from behind, her legs flailing in his grip. A few passersby looked but seemed to come to the conclusion that this was a lovers’ scene and paid them no mind. Backing her up against a cherry tree, he locked her in so she had no chance of escape, and then took the sunglasses from her face.

“I can’t see without them,” she cried. “They’re prescription sunglasses.”

“Were these sunglasses supposed to fool me? There hasn’t been a ray of sun all day. It was a good try, but I’d be drawn to you in a sea of billions.”

“I can’t see without my glasses.”

“You have my eyes, Lia. You can see through my eyes like I can see through yours. You can hear through my ears, taste through my mouth, smell through my nose, just as I can through yours. That’s the way you and I are, together or apart, and we’ve both had enough apart! Our souls are from the same star—we’re made of the same substance.”

As his mouth pressed insistently against hers, she tried to protest, still flittering within his grasp, but he could feel the heat coming from within, and see her scorching eyes flicker with passion. “I only came because I wanted to see you from a distance before you left.” Her words were as feeble as the attempt she made to escape his arms.

“You saw me, Lia. And I saw you, and you’re not getting away from me this time. We’ve done enough talking.” As his lips once again kissed her lips, her resistance began to crumble, and although her mouth hadn’t yet responded, she let him do what he was doing without further protest, and he could even hear her barely perceptible moans of pleasure as he kissed every inch of her face and neck. Loosening his grip, he gently pushed her down to the soft wet grass. Stretching out on top of her, he penetrated her eyes. “You’re mine, Lia.”

She stared at him, didn’t say a word, but her eyes said yes.

By now the rain was pouring down. “Daniel once stood by our dogwood tree and promised your spirit he’d always wait for you, and he’s kept his promise. I’ve loved nobody else in that way. It’s me, Lia, and God do I love you, so let me in!” He expected one last surge of resistance before the door fully opened, but he had her pinned to the ground, and the resistance was short-lived. In her eyes, he saw the walls collapsing, and as they tumbled down, he kissed her again. This time her full ripe pink lips parted and she let him all the way in.

A monstrous clap of thunder exploded. “We better get out of here!” she exclaimed. But instead of getting up, she grabbed his face, and this time it was her who pushed him to the ground for another kiss.