Chapter 12. The inch became a mile
The first week after the accident Riha used to acclimate herself to using the crutches, and to getting use to the cast. She was glad the King people had made the elevator operational. Sarah carried the books that Riha used in the classes they had together. Lightening the load that the girl hauled each day and making it easier for her to manage. Megan and her crowd stayed clear of the pair that first week. Sarah didn't notice any of them until they were on their way to the train station. Mr. Gregory drove them himself, not wanting to give the task to anyone else. He left them sitting on the platform waiting.
Sarah heard Megan's voice before she saw her standing on the platform by the station house. "So little miss county cork and her snooty cousin are off to visit home… how sweet.." She snickered snidely. "Why don't you do us all a big favor and stay there?"
Sarah sighed and looked back at the tracks, vowing not to allow Megan to goat her into anything.
"What's the matter?" Megan simpered. "Cat got your tongue?" Finishing she turned to look toward the entrance of the lot. Coming in the lot, engines roaring wildly were four leather clad bikers. Megan watched with mild interest as the four parked, and the leader removed his helmet and shook out his long hair. Megan gazed on him, instantly she was lusting after the handsome creature. She watched in disbelief as the man moved catlike over toward Sarah. She saw his hand go down and pull Sarah to her feet, and for a brief moment wished she was Sarah.
"Come talk to me." He said guiding her toward the end of the platform. Sarah moved with him, not willingly but she didn't put up a fight either. When they reached the edge of the platform Sarah glanced back at Riha, slightly worried about leaving her unattended with Megan standing so close. Reading Sarah's thoughts Jareth whispered. "Hog and Lou will keep her company."
Sarah turned her attention back to Jareth. "Do you have a reason for dragging me to the end of the platform, Mr. King?"
His hand still firmly placed on her forearm, Jareth pulled her close until they were pressed up against one another. "What do you think?"
Sarah coyly looked into his eyes. "I think it's a good thing the train is nearly here."
He smiled. "I haven't seen much of you this week."
"Kind of hard for Riha to get around, you know." Sarah sighed.
Jareth looked over at the girl sitting on the bench laughing with Hog. "How's she doing?"
"Better." Sarah insisted. "She's learned how to balance the weight change with the cast. Trying to sleep the first night was …well a nightmare, but she's doing better now."
Mismatched eyes then looked deeply into the emerald green eyes of the girl. "And you?"
"Resting easy for now… but…"
"But?" He asked looking concerned.
Sarah placed her head against his shoulder. "You'll think I'm crazy." She whispered.
"No I won't." He promised. "Tell me."
She looked up into a face that took her breath away and filled her with unknown longings. "I have this feeling of…danger."
The hand that had been on her forearm was now sliding skillfully down her back. "Feelings like that should not be ignored." His fingers grazed over her. "What time does your train get in on Sunday?"
"Daddy is driving us back." Sarah sighed.
"Daddy does not trust me." Jareth noted.
"I know." Sarah agreed. "I know."
Jareth pulled her into a long quiet embrace. "After he leaves, Conner and I will bring you two girls coffee." He promised.
"We're not supposed to have gentlemen callers." Sarah teased.
Jareth kissed her gently, "I'm not a gentleman." He teased as he led her back to where her cousin was sitting. "Here's the train, Hog and I will put your bags on for you." He motioned the other man to pick up one of the laundry bags and follow him. Hog then helped to get Riha settled in her seat. Jareth and Sarah stood looking at each other for a moment. Sarah took one step up, a hand held her from going farther. She turned and looked eye level with the man; he pulled her into a long slow kiss. Releasing her he sighed. "I'll see you Sunday, Kitten."
Sarah nodded, not trusting her voice and went into the passenger car to sit beside her cousin. She didn't look out the window, she knew Jareth was already pulling out of the lot, she could hear the now familiar roar of his bike's engine. She knew her face was deeply colored, and didn't look at her cousin. Her lips tingled where Jareth's had left his mark on her, and she raised a hand to touch them.
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Megan watched the bikers leave. She'd witnessed the kiss and wondered what it was about Sarah that attracted the man with long blond hair and strangely attractive eyes. She looked at the girls with her. "Who's he?"
Whitney Barry looked at Megan with mirth, "That's Jareth King…His father owns King Industries… he's rich! And the family is powerful…They started out in England and branched out here after the war…"
"Which war?"Megan asked quietly.
Whitney shrugged. "How the hell do I know? I'm no historian you know… I just know that the family sent him here after he was out of High School to go to college here in the states, and then he was placed in the company. I hear he's working on Bell Hall…"
"He's hot…" Megan purred. "Far too hot for someone like Sarah Williams to handle," The two other girls giggled and agreed. Megan simpered. "I think I'd like him for my next boyfriend."
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Karen came to the station with Toby in tow; she had a porter carry the bags to her car and tipped the man. Riha was seated in front with Karen, and Toby was sent to the back seat to sit with the still quiet and reflective Sarah. The little boy curled up against his sister and whispered something about her smelling nice. Sarah looked down at him, wondering what he was talking about. He looked up with a dreamy expression, and told her she was all spicy. Sarah smiled back and went on with her thoughts. She sniffed lightly and realized there was a lingering aroma of leather and spice in the air. Closing her eyes she knew it was from the embrace at the station in Brighton. 'Jareth,' she sighed to herself. Toby leaning closer began to hum to himself.
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Lilith now had Goblins ten deep surrounding her; they were all humming like the little boy in the crystal. She looked at Gilgamesh and asked. "What is this all about?"
The Babylonian looked at the mesmerized Goblins who were rocking back and forth as if to a song. "The boy… it's the boy." He looked into the crystal, at the child who was humming as he leaned against his sister. "The Goblins know the boy."
"He is the child the girl wished away…" Lilith nodded.
"He is more." Gilgamesh perceived. "Far more," He pointed to the rocking Goblins. "Look at how they react to him; it's the same way they react to Jareth… That's euphoria." He smiled slowly to the Queen. "Your son has marked that child."
"Impossible." The Queen declared. "The boy was won back by his sister, there was no chance…" She paused. "Or was there…" She tapped her chin. "He's always been far too sure of himself…I'll wager he thought he'd win and ….marked the boy as his own…"
Gilgamesh turned a weary eye toward the crystal. "It was not just the rejection of the girl; it was the loss of the boy as well that dragged Jareth into despair."
Lilith pulled free of the sea of Goblins to stand beside the old Babylonian. "Will winning the girl be enough?"
Gilgamesh shrugged. "I have no answer, Lilith."
The Queen paced. "Why did I ever open this can of worms?"
"For the love of your son," Gilgamesh replied knowingly.
"Jareth has always been a spoiled child," she sighed. "I've indulged him… it's true…but this time…."
"We've set in motion something that must be played out. Something that was and is far beyond either you or I Queen of the Night…We are but pawns in the greater game of Mother Universe." Gilgamesh placed a hand to her shoulder. "Come, Lilith, we well continue to watch…together."
She nodded, turning back to the crystal.
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A cold wind battered the house, and Robert went about making sure the shutters were properly fastened. He didn't want them damaged. Karen watched as he went room to room, she also watched the girls sitting in the family room with Toby. Something about Sarah seemed different, and it troubled her.
Robert sat down at the kitchen table with his wife and accepted the mug of coffee she offered. He looked a the family room where Sarah was telling Toby a story as the boy sat on her lap and acted out different parts of the tale being told. He smiled and laughed to himself softly.
"Robert," Karen leaned closer and kept her voice down. "Has something happened to Sarah?"
The lawyer looked at his wife with a stony gaze. "I don't know what you're talking about. She's fine."
"She's different." Karen insisted. "Oh she's still Sarah, teller of wonderful tales…but she's different." Robert sniffed lightly and sipped his coffee. Karen gave it more thought then looked at her husband. "Does Sarah have a boy friend up at school?"
Robert stiffened. "The person who is showing interest in Sarah is not a boy."
"A girl?" Karen looked concerned and distrusting of her thoughts.
"No, not a girl." Robert frowned. "A man…a man far too old for a seventeen year old girl."
Karen relaxed. "OH, is that all?"
The man regarded his wife, "Is that all? Karen you didn't see him last Sunday…he's… older and not just in age…there's something very dangerous about him…and I'm not sure how to warn Sarah….I think having the girls come home for the weekends…and us driving them back is a good thing… for now….it keeps the situation under control."
Karen was amused. "It didn't work that way when I was interested in you, now did it?"
"That's different." Robert defended himself. "You and I were both over twenty one."
Karen looked at him and shook her head.
Riha listened to the story that Sarah was telling, but not really hearing it. Her mind had been on other things off and on all week. She told Sarah she was tired and asked Sarah's dad to help her up the stairs to the bedrooms. Once in the room she was sharing with Sarah, she changed into her night clothes and sat on the bed she'd been given. Something kept plaguing her, poking at her. She let her eyes sweep the room, and looked for the item that kept popping up in her memory. On the bookshelf she saw it, the small pocket book with the red leather cover. She hobbled over to the shelf, picked the book up and opened it. She read the first page and then the second. Coming to one line halted her reading. "But what no one knew was…." She said aloud, and stopped. She looked up. "Oh no….not my poor wee Sarah…" she sat down feeling her heart pound. "No." She put the book on the shelf again. "No." She shook her head, denying what her Celtic heart was telling her was true, Sarah was a Chosen.
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Sunday afternoon came too quickly for Karen who had more she wanted to do with and for the girls. On the drive back to the school she promised the girls to take them shopping the next weekend to begin the holiday shopping they would want to do. She was already making plans for Thanksgiving and then Christmas. Insisting that Riha plan on spending the break with them as she had no plans to return to Ireland until the school year had finished. She chattered so much she never noticed how quiet Riha had gotten over the weekend. Robert was busy with the driving and took little notice of anything beyond the road.
Sarah told Karen to take Toby up to the room along with Riha and that she would help her father pull the bags of clean laundry out of the trunk along with the dozen or so items that Karen just knew they had to have. Sarah looked at her father when they got to the trunk and asked quietly. "Daddy, are you angry with me?"
He looked at her and shook his head. "No, why?"
"I don't know," her voice was very serious and very quiet. "You seem angry."
Robert leaned on the car and looked at his beautiful daughter. She looked so much like her mother at that age, young and fresh and… ripe. "I'm just a little worried, Sarah." He said calmly. "You're so young… and you've been so sheltered, maybe too sheltered. You've no real experience with the ways of the world… the ways… of men."
Sarah placed a hand on that of her father. "Daddy, I'm not doing anything."
"Not yet." He sighed. "But I saw how that King fellow looked at you…"
"Daddy, he's really not as bad as he pretends to be…" she smiled. "He's been there for both Riha and me…"
"Don't make light of this Sarah." Robert warned. "That man wants you." He pulled the bags from the trunk. "We'd best get up stairs before Karen becomes suspicious." He warned.
Karen was looking at one of the canvases that Sarah had begun to work on. "This is so strangely powerful." She remarked when the girl entered with the laundry bag. "Your use of color and image is very skillful… I didn't even know you could draw."
Sarah looked at the dark composition, "Neither did I…but this thing called out to me…It was one of the canvases left behind by the former tenant. All I'm doing is filling in the blanks."
"But these shapes and eyes lurking in the shadows… and the feeling… "Karen looked at Sarah. "What are you calling it?"
"In the shadows," Sarah said quietly.
"Are you taking art classes?" Her stepmother asked still intrigued by the painting.
"No…" Sarah scoffed as she carried the bags to the bedroom area to unload.
Karen studied the painted closer. "Well you really should be!"
Sarah laughed, "Ok Karen, come on…. That's just something I do to unwind, something in my spare time after homework…. But it's not serious stuff…besides, most of the work was already there, I'm just filling in the blanks."
However Karen was not being dissuaded. "Sarah, I'm serious…this shows real talent."
Sarah returned to the room and gave the woman a hug. "You're just saying that because you're my stepmom… and I love you for it."
The affection quieted the woman's voice.
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Sarah walked down to the car with her parents and Toby. "We'll take the train in on Friday… and if we get an early start on Saturday we can most of our earans done." Sarah was saying. "I know that Riha wants to get a head start on her shopping for the holidays while the weather is still good."
Robert kissed his daughter goodbye. "Be good." He told her as he took his seat behind the wheel. "We'll see you on Friday."
Sarah waved them off, waiting until the tail lights of her father's car reached the main gate. She returned to the studio and was glad to find Riha resting. Looking once more at the painting she wondered if Karen had been being nice or if perhaps art was something to seriously look into.
A light tapping on the door drew her attentions. Sarah opened the door with the chain guard on, "Yes?" She peeped out.
"Coffee is here." A voice purred.
"Hello, Jareth." Sarah closed the door to remove the guard and allowed the two young men to enter. "That's really sweet of you to bring coffee."
Jareth looked over at Riha who was sitting on a small couch. "How's the foot?"
"Better… but itchy…" complained the Irish girl as Conner handed her a cup. "Oh this is lovely."
Jareth looked around the studio, "You made some changes… I saw this place in the summer when we were bidding on the job." He smiled at Sarah.
"We didn't change that much, just rearranged some of the furniture and cleaned up a bit." Sarah sipped the brew. "That artist who lived here must have been the most disorganized person! It's a wonder he found his paints." Conner had taken a seat beside Riha and was quietly speaking with her. Jareth took hold of Sarah's hand. "Come see what we're working on this week." He said pulling her out of the studio and into the hall.
"Jareth..." Sarah started to make a complaint.
He placed a finger to his lips then pointed to the other couple; Sarah understood and quietly followed him out into the hall. They walked down the stairs and then out of the building. He pointed to one of the company trucks that were parked in the lot. "We can sit here and talk for a bit…give them some privacy." Pulling down the tailgate, he lifted Sarah up to sit on the lowered gate. "He's very taken with your cousin you know."
Sarah nodded, "She's taken with him as well." She looked up at the widows of the studio. "I like Conner…and his mother. I wouldn't mind if she got serious about him."
Jareth pulled himself up beside Sarah on the tailgate, "So…" He gave her a sideways glance. "Did Daddy warn you about the big bad man?"
Sarah felt the color flood her cheeks. "Yes." She didn't look at him.
"Well, it was to be expected." Jareth sighed. "Can't fault the man for at least trying to warn you. Not that it will do any good, mind you." He placed his arm over her shoulder.
Sarah looked up at the sky. "It's so pretty here… back home there are too many lights to see all the stars…"
Jareth looked up as well. "Have you always been a stargazer?"
"No…" Sarah sighed. "I think coming here to school made me appreciate the beauty of the stars…" She shook her head, trying to remember the words that were just out of reach. "I think it was because of a poem I heard…. But I can't seem to remember the words… Something about …a path though the stars…"
"We're choosing the path between the stars…" Jareth said in a slightly dazed voice.
Sarah looked over at him. "Yes…that's it… you know that poem…I can't remember the rest of it…"
Jareth frowned. "Neither can I…" he grimaced trying to remember. "That's so odd." He looked back up at the heavens. "They are beautiful from here."
Sarah leaned into his shoulder. "I wish I knew more of their names… I recognize so few… the big and little dippers…."
"I'll get you a chart with the names and locations… and the lore.." He mused as he watched the skies with her.
"Oh look, shooting stars…"She pointed.
"Do you know what the Scots say about Shooting stars?" He asked looking at her profile with interest. Turning her face, she looked into his eyes with wonder and a touch of excitement. He took a breath, whispering softly. "When a man and a woman witness a shower of shooting stars it means they are destined to be together, always." He let his lips brush against hers. "We are fated, Sarah, you and I."
Sarah trembled. "Do you really believe that?"
He pulled her closer. "More than I've ever believed anything."
Sarah looked away, "Daddy says I'm too young for you…." She felt very serious for a moment. "He thinks you want… just one thing from me."
"He's wrong about that." He leapt from the gate back to the ground. His hands went to her waist to lift her down, but instead he pulled her against his body. "I want much more than just that one thing." He saw the startled reaction to her body's closeness to his. "Oh don't get me wrong Sarah…I want that one thing… but not just that one thing."
"Oh." She gasped.
Holding her close, with her feet dangling above the pavement he smiled. "Definitely more that just that one thing," He growled sensually.
Sarah looked down at the ground. "Jareth." She wiggled, "Put me down."
"Wiggle like that again and that one thing is going to happen now… and I don't think you're quite ready for that, are you?" He teased. Sarah went still. "No, you're not." He set her feet on the ground. "I think we've given your cousin and her beau enough time." He offered her his hand.
Sarah looked at him. "Are you always this arrogant?"
"Yes." He said firmly. "I am."
Stepping closer she looked at him with defiant eyes. "I'm not afraid of you, Jareth."
"Who says I want you to be?" He returned the challenge.
"You can't make me just jump though hoops." She warned.
He smiled a slow cocky smile. "Baby, hoops are not what I want you jumping."
"Oh really, and just what am I supposed to jump?" She challenged.
Hands reached out, yanked her toward him, as his mouth went down on hers with savage purpose and intent. She was warm and yielding as he gave her a taste of his darker passions. "When you're ready…" He murmured, in a dark promise. Stepping back, he pulled her back toward the building. Dazed and bewildered she followed him.