Lucas Buck watched curiously as a young boy walked down a long corridor in his home. He instantly recognized himself at age 5 sneaking down the corridor wanting to explore the mansion, as his father had always banned him from leaving the main area at the front of the house. His mother used to hide away in her study at the back of the property for hours on end and had created a play area in the room attached to her study so he could be close to her at all times, unbeknownst to his father; however, as Lucas had been aware of all the rooms in the house which had been undisturbed for years, he had felt the need to explore.
The unknown had always intrigued him, even at such a young age and he had taken the opportunity to scout the place on occasion while his mother was busy in her study. He liked to test the boundaries and would go further into the house each time his mothers back was turned, to see how far he could get without being caught. On this particular day, he had gotten further than he had before and had goose pimples all over his skin with the excitement of it all.
Lucas followed his young self as he disregarded some doors, then attempted to enter others that were locked. His young self was becoming frustrated until he spotted a door at the far end of a dark corridor, he approached the door expecting it to be locked; however, the nob turned easily and the door creaked open slowly. Lucas had no recollection of this time, or this corridor so he followed cautiously behind his young self.
When Lucas entered he was instantly taken aback by the thick darkness that cloaked the entire room. His younger self walked into a table and hit his shin, then limped to the window and opened a curtain to let in some much needed light. Lucas smiled at the courage of his younger self exploring this room, when even he could feel a dark presence residing in. He walked around the room slowly, looking for some reminder of what he may have found in here; however, this was all still a blur to him and it did not seem to be coming back to him.
Suddenly his younger self stopped in front of what appeared to be a large frame with a dark green velvet sheet draped over it. He could feel himself being drawn to that area and from the way his younger self was staring at the sheet, he sensed he was experiencing the same feeling. His younger self glanced behind him to ensure he was still alone, then pulled at the sheet covering the frame. When it dropped to the floor, Lucas caught a glimpse of a dark haired woman in a cream flowing dress.
Before he could examine the painting closer his younger self ran towards the sound of his mothers angry yells and Lucas felt himself being dragged out of the room by an invisible force, then the door slammed closed behind him. Lucas awoke with a start, temporarily unaware of where he was and then realized he was not alone in his bed.
Gail awoke when she felt Lucas tossing and turning, then he sat up unexpectedly and took in a sharp intake of breath. She had never known Lucas to suffer from strange dreams and it was a shock when he displayed the look she always did after she awoke from a nightmare. She saw the confusion in his eyes, then sat up and stroked his bare back gently. 'Bad dream?' she whispered.
Lucas took in another large intake of breath to slow his heart rate, then began to regain his composure. He did not like this feeling of disorientation, especially when he was not alone. He had suffered from strange dreams after his mother had died; however, they had stopped abruptly after he had taken care of his father. He did not have time to ponder over his dream with Gail being here, she was already curious about him and he did not need her curiosity to grow.
Without thinking Lucas pushed her down roughly and climbed on top of her, with Caleb being down the corridor he had shown restraint last night; however, he did not like this feeling of unease and needed to take his mind off it. 'I don't suffer from bad dreams Miss Emory, you must have mistaken me for one of your dramatic friends' he said as he parted her legs with his knees and moved his hands underneath her vest.
Gail was still in a bad mood and had inserted her boundaries last night while Caleb was here, so she gripped his wrists and tried to force his hands out from under her vest in an attempt to display some control; however, he shrugged off her attempts effortlessly and began to play with her bare breasts. 'Now now Sheriff, you leave my friends out of this...' she warned, '...and I thought I made myself clear last night about not doing this'
Lucas nuzzled his nose into her neck playfully and then nipped at her shoulder. 'You don't tell me what to do Miss Emory...besides, the boy is still asleep' he whispered and pinched her nipple hard, then began to stroke it tenderly.
Gail let out a loud moan as the slight burst of pain ran through her body. 'He won't be asleep much longer if you keep on like this Master Buck' she said sarcastically, moving her hands to his back and clawing her nails down it slowly.
Lucas gave off a low moan at the feel of her nails scratching his skin, she knew how to let him know what she wanted without saying a word and it amused him how she could so easily get out of begging. He knew her protestations were automatic and understood she would always try to deny him in an attempt to keep her self control; however, he would never back down from what he wanted and the game they played only made him want it more.
'You know what? You're right...' he said then effortlessly flipped her over on to all fours and pushed her head down into the pillow, '...this way is better suited for what I have in mind'
Gail tried to force down her arousal, but her body betrayed her and she instinctively pushed her behind back into him. Before she could say anything he smacked her bare behind hard and thrust into her, forcing her head further into the pillow. Gail was thankful she had something to silence her moans, as the painful entry caused her to call out. It did not take long for the pain to turn into pleasure and she allowed him to push deeper within her.
Lucas had to bite his lip to stop from calling out and waking up his boy, the pleasurable sensation as she closed in around his manhood was becoming too much so he leaned down and bit her shoulder hard. He loved taking her this way, it allowed him to let his animal urges be free as he pounded in and out of her sweet spot roughly. She pushed herself further into him as he kept biting at her back, the pleasure was so intense as he pushed his manhood deep within her that his teeth pierced her skin when he bit down and her blood touched his tongue.
Gail gripped the pillow tight in her fists, this was punishment and she should not like it; however, even the feeling of his teeth ripping at her skin turned her on and she did not want him to stop. His wild animal like urges tapped into areas of her damaged subconscious which she had worked so hard to push deep down over the years and she could not dismiss her desire for him.
Lucas sensed her climax beginning to rise and pulled his manhood out of her, a move unexpected even to himself. He pulled her off the bed and picked her up into his arms, then automatically headed out of the hidden door in his walk in wardrobe and down a dark set of stairs.
Gail had no idea what was going on, she was about ready to explode when he had pulled out of her and decided to carry her out of the bedroom. He had taken her through some hidden passages in his house once before and she did not dare say anything as she was too intrigued with what he was planning. Suddenly something within her screamed in alarm and it made her excitement disappear, she became very aware that they were moving deeper into the dark parts of the house and something was calling for her to retreat.
Lucas appeared focused on a specific location so she pulled his head towards her and kissed him passionately, in an attempt to get his attention. He stopped for a moment to allow himself to savor the taste of her tongue in his mouth, then placed her down, pushed her against the wall and knelt down in front of her. He ran his hands up her bare thighs then moved his face between her legs, so he could stroke his nose over her sweet spot.
Gail took a sharp intake of breath and allowed herself a glance at the dark door at the end of the corridor, she sensed something malevolent in that place and had no intention of going anywhere near it just yet. She let out a loud moan when she felt Lucas's tongue between her legs, the movement had taken her by surprise and her attention was brought back to her lover. 'If this is what you wanted, your bed was as good a place as any' she panted.
Lucas smiled and nipped at her sweet spot. He inhaled her scent and nuzzled his face into her, not being able to get enough of her aroma. 'I wanted somethin' else Darlin'...somethin' you would've been interest in, but I suppose it can wait' he said between breaths and pushed his tongue inside of her.
Gail allowed him to taste her and make patterns inside her with his tongue, then pulled him up and led him back towards his bedroom. 'My curiosity can wait Sheriff, we have more pressing things to focus on' she said suggestively as she reached for his hard manhood and gave it a little squeeze.
Lucas pushed her roughly against the wall as they reached the back stairs to his bedroom, then parted her legs and thrust his manhood inside of her. He pounded deep into her and it did not take long for them both to unravel. As his climax came, he bit down hard on the back of her neck and pierced her skin again. He loved the taste of her blood on his lips and licked the wound affectionately when he pulled out of her.
Gail turned around and pulled him to her for a passionate kiss, then headed up the stairs to the bedroom. She had no desire to stay in the dark passage any longer than she had to and she sensed Caleb was close to waking up; therefore, she needed to ensure they were presentable when that happened.
Lucas smiled to himself as they returned to his bedroom, taking her by surprise to a mysterious part of his house had dampened her curiosity instantly. It appeared his son had been correct with his suggestion and he would remember that for the future.
Matt sat on the edge of his bed with his head in his hands, something had happened yesterday and he cursed himself for not being able to remember. He felt as though he had drank too much alcohol and was suffering from a hangover; however, that would be impossible as he had been sober for years. He remembered being outside Lucas Buck's mansion but that was where his recollection ended.
Loris had come to check in on him earlier and informed him Floyd had dropped him off at the Boarding house yesterday evening, after stating Lucas had ordered him to ensure he was returned home safely. She had tried to quiz Floyd on why Lucas would care; however, the dim man just shrugged and returned to his police cruiser. Loris informed him that he had been in a dazed state and she had just about managed to get him to eat then had put him to bed.
The whole situation was making him feel uneasy, it was as though he had blacked out something important and no matter how hard he tried to recall what it was, he could not. A quiet knock on his door interrupted his train of thought and he sighed. 'I told you I'm fine Loris, leave me be' he called in frustration.
Merlyn opened the bedroom door slowly, hoping she would not catch Matt in an inappropriate position. She had stopped by to look for some books from Miss Holt's private collection and had overheard a discussion about Matt in the kitchen, it appeared Caleb's friends mother was trying to find out some gossip about what Matt had been up to last night and mentioned he seemed as though he was drunk. Merlyn knew that would never happen; therefore, she took it upon herself to check on him, as Gail appeared to have fallen out with her best friend. When she popped her head around the door carefully, she just smiled at Matt's frustrated look. 'Mornin' sleepy head...aren't you late for work?' she asked and ignored the glance of irritation she was getting.
Matt rolled his eyes at his visitor, he did not need the strangeness that came with this girl right now. 'I'm none of your concern...go away' he said abruptly, getting up off the bed and searching for a T Shirt to cover his bare chest.
Merlyn glanced curiously at his toned figure, he kept it hidden well and she suspected she was one of only a few women that had seen him this way. She disregarded his request and sat down on the bed, Matt had been good for her family previously and Gail would not forgive herself if something happened to him. 'You're my concern when you're acting like your slippin' and you're not talkin' to Gail. She'd go crazy if you gave Lucas any reason to send you back to Juniper'
Matt picked up a T Shirt, then threw it down in anger at the sound of Lucas's name. This girl turned up out of nowhere and everyone had just disregarded her strange presence here as though it was normal. He had witnessed what Gage Temple had allegedly done to his daughter and that poor girls face had been imprinted on his mind for months after the incident, he was not stupid or naive and he certainly was not in the mood to remain oblivious. 'You look the doppleganger of Merlyn Temple...who are you?' he asked, trying to take the attention off himself.
Merlyn had come here for her own purpose and did not have the patience for games. 'It doesn't matter who I am...' she said dismissing his comment, '...Why aren't you talkin' to Gail?'
Matt regarded the girl curiously, he respected that she was not beating around the bush and there was something about her that demanded honesty. 'She was pregnant with his child' he said in a disdainful tone.
Merlyn's feature did not change, she just remained calm and collected. 'What Gail was is none of your concern...what's your problem?'
Matt let out a small laugh and shook his head. 'Just like that I'm to disregard my instincts about you and what I found out about Gail?' he asked in disbelief.
Merlyn stood up and approached Matt. 'You're gonna make it known that you believe Merlyn Temple is back from the dead? or that the only real friend you had in this town was pregnant with Lucas Bucks child? Who I am or what Gail was is irrelevant...you're not a judgmental person Matt, you help people and you're not gonna be able to continue doin' that if you start ranting about dead people or push away the only person who fought for you in this town'
Matt considered her words, then grimaced when a sharp pain surged through his head. He suddenly remembered being around Gail last night; however, he could not recall where or why. He backed up and sat down on the bed then held his head in his hands, the more he tried to remember what happened last night the worse the pain in his head got.
Merlyn watched Matt curiously, she did not know what was happening but she suddenly felt drawn to him. She sensed he was in pain and wanted to take it away, so she approached him slowly then knelt down and instinctively placed her hands gently on his cheeks. She smiled reassuringly when he looked deep into her eyes, then she felt a sharp pain surge through her head and a flash of the mysterious dark haired woman from the river bank was etched into her mind. She let go of Matt and fell back onto the floor, not knowing what had happened.
Matt had felt relief when the pressure in his head decreased after the girl touched him; however, he became concerned at the look of horror on her face. 'What is it? Are you OK?' he asked, rushing to her side.
Merlyn was shivering on the floor and wrapped her arms protectively around her knees. She was not alright, she was frightened and sensed something dark was coming.
Lucas sat his car pondering over the strange dream which had caused him to wake so abruptly this morning. He was not used to dreams of this nature and he did not appreciate having the feeling that something was hidden from him, this whole thing did not sit right with him and he could not stop thinking about it. The more he cast his mind back to his childhood, the more he sensed his mother had been keeping a close watch on him to ensure he did not uncover something specific and he curious as to what this may be.
His mother had been an unusual woman with peculiar tastes; however, she was very smart and caring. He thought back to all the times she had allowed him to help out in her Wicca store and how the townspeople used to frown at a young boy being allowed to go near such a thing, they did not know she was preparing him for the future and teaching him the art of control. Without his mothers teachings he would not be as patient as he was and his rule over Trinity would be much more sinister.
Lucas could not get thoughts of his mother out of his head, she had been in his dream and he was not naive enough to believe it did not mean anything. He was beginning to get frustrated with the situation, his twin was whispering the location of where he needed to go; however, Lucas had not been there for years. The place held deep sentimental value to him and he did not want to disturb whatever now lay there.
Lucas slammed his fists down hard on the car dash board in agitation, then opened his drivers side door and exited the car onto the Juniper House car park. He knew what he was required to do whether he wanted to or not; however, he had business to attend to with Billy-boy and he needed to nip the mans ideals in the bud before others starting following suit. The last thing he needed with everything else that was going on was an uprising in Juniper House.
Gail stood in the middle of the Wicca store surveying her surroundings, she had chosen to come alone this time and hoped to find the answers she was looking for. She should have been reluctant to come back here after what had happened previously and her common sense was screaming for her to leave; however, she had not gotten so far in life by running scared at a few warning signs and she was not going to start acting like that now. She did not know what she hoped to accomplish by coming here, but she had been drawn here and would not leave until she found something to provide her with some clarity.
Gail felt a cold presence surround her and let of an involuntary shiver. She sensed that she was being watched and the way she handled herself here may be important; therefore, she shrugged off her caution and began to walk around the room. The presence was still in the room with her but she felt it move further away, she took a deep breath to calm her heart rate and made a mental note of everything that was in the room before deciding where to go next.
The room itself was deceivingly large and a thick layer of dust coated everything. It was a shame that such an intriguing store had been neglected and left in this state, with a little time spent this could be brought back to it's original condition. There were a lot of items and books that still appeared in good condition, all they would need was a good clean to get this place back up and running.
Gail did not know what use Trinity would have for a Wicca store; however, the more time she spent here the more she liked the place. It was evident that the initial owner had put a lot of effort into making this place unique and it was a shame to let it all just wither away.
A small glass bowl fell from a wooden cabinet and shattered on the floor, Gail turned quickly towards the unexpected sound the glanced around the room to ensure she was still alone. She approached the broken bowl curiously, then knelt down and picked up a shard of glass. She turned it over in her fingers with fascination and took a sharp intake of breath when the glass sliced through her skin. Gail instinctively placed her bleeding fingers in her mouth then stood up and examined the spot where the bowl had initially been placed. There was nothing that could have caused the bowl to fall and although she had opened a window to air the place out when she had entered, it was a calm day with no strong winds that could have been forceful enough to blow the bowl over.
Gail returned to the center of the room and looked around slowly, everything appeared to be in the correct place and nothing else had moved. She began to feel a small knot in her stomach and pushed the feeling away quickly, knowing it was fear starting to fester within her. She would not succumb to fear, it was no longer an option. Her normal life had been turned upside down since she had returned to Trinity and the time for being naive had passed. With all the strangeness and the changes within her that had happened over the past year, it was time for her to take control of the situation and embracing whatever was happening was the only way forward.
Suddenly a book dropped off the bookshelf behind the broken glass bowl and landed with a loud thud. Gail did not allow her body to react to the unexpected noise and inhaled deeply before turning her head in that direction. It occurred to her that something may be trying to get her attention and stop her mind from wandering, which caused another involuntary shiver.
The feeling of being watched became more intense and Gail summoned all her strength to push down her instinct to run, she slowly moved towards the fallen book then inspected the area around it. She chose to deem the fallen book itself as unimportant, from the cover it was evident the book was about foresight and she did not want to think about that right now as it would only distract her.
She continued to survey the area and her eyes stopped when they came across a set of drawers, the drawers themselves held no meaning to her; however, there was a smudge in the layer of dust that coated the top of the drawers, as though someone had ran a finger over the top. The knot in her stomach returned and this time she could not push it away, she heard a creak in a floorboard at the other side of the room and forced herself not to turn around. She ran her finger over the smudge mark then discovered what she already knew when she tried to open the top drawer, which was that the drawers were locked.
Gail took a small step back, ignoring the second creak in the floorboards which appeared slightly closer. She took a deep breath in an attempt to remain calm and stared at the drawers in front of her, allowing Rosemary to join her internal debate. 'If you were his mother and you wanted to hide something, a set of locked draws would be an option...' she spoke aloud to herself, trying to tune out the distraction of whatever was moving closer to her. '...but my first port of call if I was trying to find that certain something would be to search the only set of locked drawers in the room'
Gail glanced at the bookshelves either side of the drawers and shook her head. 'I'm a Buck and I'm certainly not conventional, why would I have to hide something when my family clearly run this town?...We'll ignore that for now, let's focus on what I'm hiding...' she pondered and returned her stare to the drawers, '...It would be personal, maybe something just for me that I wouldn't want the boys in the family to find...Why are the boys so important?'
Another book fell from the bookshelf but Gail did not turn around. 'Why are the boys so important?' she repeated then knelt down to inspect the bottom of the drawers, there was a small gap between the bottom drawer and the floor which Gail had not noticed before. She instinctively forced her hand in the gap and stroked underneath the bottom drawer, then smiled when her hand brushed against something.
She tugged gently and pulled out an old faded photograph that had been taped to the bottom of the drawer. She examined the photo and shook her head when she realized it was a picture of a cabin in the woods, at the far end of the horizon she caught sight of a river and instantly knew where she had to go.
A loud creak behind her caused her to stand up quickly and she turned around to face whatever was behind her, when she turned and glanced around the room it appeared she was alone. She felt a presence surround her and rushed out of the Wicca store, not wanting to overstay her welcome. When she was safely back outside, she let out a sigh of release and rushed to her car. Gail knew what she had to do and just hoped she had the strength to continue on her path.
-To be continued-