Love Fated

Chapter 2

Jackson entered his motel room and secured the door before tossing his keys on the desk. Brushing the snow from his dark hair, he shrugged off his coat and sat down at the desk while he flipped open his laptop. Typing in a sequence of numbers, he watched as several windows popped up.

He scanned the message from the Organization carefully, before replying.

Meeting with Johnson is in three days. Contract is set and ready to sign.

He sent the message before leaning back. He scanned the motel room with distaste, his lip curled in a sneer. When this assignment had been dropped into his lap he had no idea that he would have to stay in such squalor. Luckily, his physical presence hadn't really been required consistently until about a week ago. At least this was his final night here. He had procured a residence not that far from his new 'job', and it would be ready for him tomorrow.

His Organization had to first scan the property and then set up the high tech security and computer equipment. Unfortunately, he would be here on this assignment for a while until further instructions came from the Boss Man.

While other people in the Organization might consider this job as punishment simply due to the location and duration, Jackson knew better. This assignment had to do with a personal vendetta his boss had with Mr. Robert Johnson and Jackson was the only one he would trust with it. He was getting paid major big bucks for this and he would capitalize on it.

He would enter into a partnership with Mr. Johnson, using a dummy company set up for his specific use. Once he had gained the man's trust and his name was listed as an owner, he would strike.

He had already gotten the ball rolling six months before when he 'accidentally' spilled his drink on a very surprised Johnson during a crowded game night at a bar. There he proceeded to befriend the man and had remained in constant communication, dropping hints here and there about how prosperous his financial company was.

Johnson took the bait, hook, line and sinker. While the man was brilliant with what he did, he was clueless when it came to the financial side of things. Jackson offered to look at his books and was able to successfully enter some dummy entries that made it appear as if Johnson's bookkeeper did shoddy work and that Johnson Development Inc. was in dire straits financially.

So when Jackson threw down the offer to help bail out the company financially and take over the bookkeeping, in exchange he would be made Johnson's partner and eventually co-owner, the desperate man jumped at the idea.

Now they had a meeting in three days to sign the official contract that the Organization's lawyers had drawn up to make the partnership legal and binding. It was only a matter of time before he would also be named co-owner.

Jackson had done his research of Johnson Development Inc., and he knew the background of every person employed there no matter what their position was. His analytical mind kept track of it all as well as his locked computer files. It was approximately ten months ago that he stumbled across Johnson's new right hand man, or woman as this case was.

Finding out that Lisa Reisert was Johnson's right hand woman had been a bit disconcerting at first; afraid she would blow his cover upon seeing him. Since he was using an assumed alias and the fact that they had no reason to interact at all it hadn't been a problem so far. In fact whenever he needed something that required contacting Lisa he had Cheryl, the secretary assigned to him, do it.

Lisa.

He narrowed his eyes at the memory of her innocent trust against the terrors of the night. She hadn't even locked her front door against intruders, which bothered him for some reason. Hadn't she learned enough about life and the asshole's out there that preyed on those weaker than them?

Well, he would just have to remind her. He had left her alone for too long now, though he did check up on her occasionally, and he was itching for a good fight with a worthy opponent. Fortunately now they were indirectly linked through her boss and soon it would be time for her to meet Mr. John Reid, Johnson's new partner and soon to be (if all went well) new co-owner.

Of course, he would have to continue wearing his brown contacts and glasses while he played his role. Apparently, the Boss Man did not want to take any chances that lovely Miss Reisert would recognize the invaluable Jackson Rippner. He might've been able to fail once due to her stubbornness, but not even he would get off lightly if he failed again, particularly at her hands. As it was, he was glad that the Organization had eliminated all and every shred of evidence against him before he escaped. It made his job a lot easier to move around without having to look over his shoulder for signs of police or bounty hunters.

He felt the familiar stirrings of rage as he recounted with astonishing detail every injury she laid on him as he subconsciously traced his throat feeling the small crescent shaped scar that was there. Oh, yes. They would have their day of reckoning.

But it was business before pleasure. As long as Lisa could not connect John Reid with Jackson Rippner, he would be free to terrorize her to his heart's content.

The image of her lithe body washed over him as she danced gracefully earlier that evening. He closed his ice blue eyes remembering how his heart sped up at being so close to her again. The way her porcelain skin glowed in the firelight. The sensual way she rolled her bottled water on her neck…

His eyes snapped open with a snarl. He could not believe his thoughts! What was wrong with him?! She made mincemeat out of him with her damned hockey stick! She stabbed him, unprovoked, in the throat with a fucking Frankenstein pen! She shot him and stabbed him with her fucking heel! He had failed his assignment because of her, and he NEVER failed before!

He stood and paced the dingy room angrily, fueling his rage with thoughts of revenge when suddenly he stopped.

"It happened in a parking lot, in broad daylight. He held a knife to my throat the entire time."

The memory of her voice, her tears, washed over him and he suddenly felt weak. Her scar. That damnable scar. It caused him to lower his defenses creating his downfall. He had only himself to blame for that, and unfortunately that was the bottom line.

Still, she fucking stabbed him with a pen!!!!!

His brief moment of weakness was over as he felt his fury return and his blood boiled in his veins. He let out a strangled cry before grabbing his laptop and shoving it in a bag. He quickly went around the room throwing his belongings in his duffel bag before clearing out the bathroom of his toiletries. He snatched up his coat and keys and gave the empty room a once over before leaving. On his way out he dropped off the room key in the courtesy box, having already paid in full for the room with cash. He ignored the snow that was increasing at an alarming rate, and slid behind the wheel of his Lincoln Navigator. He started it up and quickly popped the gear into reverse before heading out of the parking lot.

His destination was a good twenty minutes away and if he hurried, he would make it in time for a late night snack.

That is, if the chef in question continued with her 3 am habit.

He hoped so. He didn't want to miss the look on her face when she discovered his gift.

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The room was stifling from the press of all of the guests as they danced the night away in celebration. Having to resort to shoving, she made her way to the outskirts of the throng of guests, sighing in relief. She leaned against a pillar in the great hall as the crowd pressed in on the minstrel. The strains of a haunting melody echoed around the room as the bard's smooth tenor voice floated around her.

Curious, she attempted to look through the crowd hoping to catch sight of the singer. Frustrated she moved along the outskirts determined to catch a glimpse, when suddenly she felt a tug on her arm.

Startled, she gasped before looking backwards at a tall half-masked man shadowed in the torchlight.

"Who are you?" She blurted out before clapping her free hand over her mouth.

A sensual grin spread across the stranger's chiseled jaw.

"Someone who desires your company."

She felt a shiver at his deep voice. "Excuse me?"

His grin widened as he lifted his mask off and she found herself staring into the most captivating eyes she had ever seen. She had never seen a shade of blue so clear and light.

Dumbfounded, she just stared at him.

"I need you to make a call for me."

Suddenly, her surroundings changed and she found herself held against an airplane's constrictive bathroom wall. A hand slowly drew the neck of her shirt aside and she found herself staring at the same intense eyes.

"Someone do that to you?"

Oh God! Her scar.

"No."

She awoke, panting for breath. She sat up slowly and scanned the room with her eyes. She raised a trembling hand to her head.

"It was just a dream." She mumbled.

She looked at the clock and saw the it was 2:40 am. Groaning, she ran a hand through her curls.

"Never again will I watch that movie before I go to bed. That was too real."

She yawned, placing her feet on the floor, intent on getting up and going to make some of her comfort food. Her bare foot kicked something on the floor and she bent down to pick it up.

Straightening, she pursed her lips in confusion.

"How'd you get there? I was looking for you earlier."

The book in her hand held no answers and she let out a laugh. Great, now she was talking to inanimate objects. Shaking her head at her own idiocy, she walked over to her stereo and selected a CD to listen to. She skipped ahead to the track she wanted to hear before making her way to the kitchen.

She pulled out her frying pan before opening her fridge. She gathered the milk, butter and eggs and set them on the counter setting her book next to them. She mechanically went through the motions of making scrambled eggs, her book forgotten as a smile spread across her face at the lyrics she was listening to.

Love is the ghost haunting your head

Love is the killer you thought was your friend

Love is the creature who lives in the dark

Sneaks up and sticks you

And painfully picks you apart

She pulled a plate out of the cabinet and a fork from her utensil drawer. She served herself her snack and grabbed her book after pouring herself a glass of cranberry juice. She sat down at the kitchen table and took a bite of her eggs before opening her book

She had heard good things about Dance with the Devil and was eager to read the next chapter in the Dark-Hunter saga. Her hand froze midway to her plate and her breathing came out harshly.

There on the inside of her cover written in bold, slashing letters were three words.

We WILL Dance

Her fork clattered on her plate from her trembling hand. She threw her book across the room where it slid into the entranceway of her dining room. She stood up suddenly, knocking her chair over in the process.

The sound of her Concrete Blond CD was drowned out by the roaring of her blood in her ears. She looked around wildly before darting over to her knife block and grabbing hold of her butcher's knife. She gripped it tightly as she made her way around her house looking in every nook and cranny. Her bedroom, the guest room and both bathrooms were clear as were all of the closets. She made sure all windows were locked and she turned on her spotlight that illuminated her shed and her back deck. Shaking in fear she returned to the kitchen after locking her front door. She eyed the darkened dining room with trepidation before cautiously approaching it. She slid her hand around the corner fumbling slightly for the light switch. She flicked it on and squinted against the sudden illumination of light.

The room was empty.

Sinking to the floor in relief she gripped her knife trying to fight off her panic attack. Her breaths came in shallow gasps and she could feel her vision dim. Tears silently slipped down her face.

Why her? What psycho was stalking her now? First her rapist, then Jackson….

Jackson.

No. He couldn't be behind it. He had not shown any interest in her so far and it had been over two years now.

No, she thought firmly. You were a means to an end. He could care less about your miserable existence, much less terrorize you again. If he had any designs on revenge, you probably would've been killed long ago.

So, if not Jackson, then who? She remained there on the floor, the knife in a death grip while tears silently streamed down her face. What was she supposed to do? The police couldn't help her. If there were fingerprints on the book, they would argue that it could've been a bookstore patron who handled it before she picked it up.

As for the writing, well she had absolutely no proof that someone had entered her home and they would most likely accuse her of writing it herself to garner attention. These small town people had the oddest notions she discovered and they did not like any disturbance of the norm.

She rose stiffly, her legs were cramped from remaining in one position for so long. She walked slowly towards her bedroom but paused looking out of her bay window. It was snowing heavily and she could faintly make out the frozen water as it drifted downwards creating an almost magical blanket around her cabin.

Her eyes searched the darkness before shivering and continuing on to her room. She gave it and her adjoining bathroom another once over before closing her bedroom door and barricading it. As she struggled to move her desk to block the door, she winced as the knife she placed on the heavy piece of furniture fell to the floor causing a shallow cut on her foot.

"Shit." She exclaimed in frustration.

She managed to maneuver the desk so that it mostly blocked the door and limped into her bathroom. She pulled out the first aid kit and ran the faucet in her tub. She gingerly placed her foot under the warm water biting her lip at the stinging sensation it caused. She turned off the tap and patted her foot dry with a hand towel. She smeared anti-bacterial ointment over her cut before firmly placing a large band-aid on it. She replaced the first aid kit and tossed the hand towel in her laundry basket before exiting the bathroom and shutting off the light firmly.

She tossed her robe half hazardly on her dressing table stool and collapsed on her bed. She lay face down and screamed out the anger that now flooded through her veins into her down comforter.

She sat up suddenly, determined to not live in a state of fear again. Whoever was trying to scare her had obviously not tangled with Lisa Reisert and she would be damned if she allowed this person, this scum to win.

"Let him come."

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Jackson watched as the blood drained from Lisa's face as she dropped her fork. He smiled wolfishly, his teeth flashing in the darkness of her dining room. He watched as she grabbed a knife and barely contained his chuckle. He observed her search of her home and squashed the voice that noted her heaving chest in that delectable nightwear ensemble she had on.

He slipped silently from her house through the window and carefully closed it behind him so that no hint of his presence remained. He made his way back to his SUV parked a good distance away from the cabin. Once inside, he started the engine and turned on his parking lights before driving away.

That was fun. He thought cheerfully his mood elevated from seeing his nemesis. Now, since it is technically tomorrow, I think I'll settle into my new home whether they are ready for me or not.

The black Navigator left Lisa Reisert's property, the only sign of it ever being there were the tire tracks that it left behind.

The snow continued to fall heavily soon erasing all signs of his presence.

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A/N: Wow, two chapters in one day! Pretty damn cool if I do say so myself. Hopefully, I am portraying both Jackson and Lisa in believable ways, but if not, well this is FANFICTION after all.

I hope to have another chapter up by this weekend, but I do have a busy week ahead so it may be delayed a day or two.

Drop me a line and let me know what you think. I see that I already have some reviews, but I think that the website is holding e-mails again. So once I receive them I will respond to you guys, never fear.

Thanks for reading!

F.L.