A Nightmare Remembered Chapter Nineteen

~In which emotions take over~

Jack could feel Eve tremble a bit as he took her hand and led her out onto the dance floor. She wasn't physically pulling away from him, but he could sense that she wasn't really sure if she wanted to be here. Jack took a deep breath and remembered that it was the real him that Eve was in love with, the one she would remember, and that the one in front of her, the human Jack, she was not so accustomed to. Jack paused for a moment and tried to remember himself, the man he was that he had been slowly losing sight of the past four years. Jack looked at Eve and smiled, giving her a little bow. She grinned, but only to play along. She grabbed both ends of her dress and curtsied. She was wearing a black dress, the bottom half was chiffon and the top was an intricate, black lace and Jack felt he couldn't stop staring.

Still clutching Eve's hand, he slowly moved his other hand to her slender waist and pulled her just a little bit closer. He could feel that Eve was breathing in only tiny, quick puffs. Without wasting any more time, Jack gently took Eve in his arms and began to dance along to the music.

I hear the drums echoing tonight

But she hears only whispers of some quiet conversation…

She's coming on the 12:30 flight

The moonlit wings reflect the stars that guide me towards salvation….

It was at this moment that Jack noticed other couples dancing in sync to the song, beginning to pick up pace a bit and it was then he decided to as well.

I stopped an old man along the way

Hoping to find some old forgotten words

or ancient melodies

He turned to me as if to say, "Hurry boy, it's waiting there for you!"

The tempo picked up and Jack could feel the drums beat in sync with his pounding heart. The fear was melting off of him. With every strike of the drum, Jack could feel his heart racing faster and faster. To Eve's great surprise, he leaned into her, his face inches from his, grinning as he did so, and twirled her, her elegant dress flowing gracefully along with her.

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do

I bless the rains down in Africa….

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had…

Eve's twirled ended and Jack found her lingering in his arms, a feeling he thought he would never experience again. She looked up at him and grinned before she could help herself. The wild dogs cried out in the night and Jack twirled Eve again, with her letting herself go, laughing that laugh, a most intoxicating thing to Jack. As Kilimanjaro rose like Olympus above the Serengeti, Jack realized what he must do and this time he wasn't afraid to do it. I seek to cure what's deep inside, frighten of this thing that I've become… Jack caught Eve in his arms and for a split moment they became lost in each other's eyes, lips inches from each other. What have I become? Is this all moving too fast? Jack wondered. Unsure of himself for a moment, he moved away from Eve a bit. The chorus filled the air again and a general energy filled the room. Eve knit her eyebrows and paused for only a moment for grabbing Jack's hand and placing it on her waist, both of them once again dancing in sync to the rhythm. That was all the confirmation Jack needed. The song shouted into Jack's ear and filled his heart, "Hurry boy, she's waiting there for you!" The beat dropped again.

It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you…

Jack grabbed Eve's waist and lifted her into the air, twirling as he did so.

There's nothing that a hundred men or more could ever do…

Eve landed and Jack grasped at her waist a little tighter, pulling her into him.

I bless the rains down in Africa…

Both caught their breath in their chest, terrified of what might happen next.

I bless the rains down in Africa…

Closer and closer they got….

I bless the rains down in Africa…

They felt their eyelids lower…

Gonna take some time to do the things we never had….

Jack felt Eve place her hand on his chest, gently nudging him away from her. It was city hall all over again, Jack felt. The song ended and Eve smiled nervously at Jack, nodded, and the quickly made her way over to Myra, grasping her by the arm, taking her towards the bathrooms. Jack felt as though he had been holding his breath forever and he began to gasp. He was so close. He stumbled back to the throng of chairs and fell into one.

oOo

Once Eve and Myra had made their way to a dark, curtain lined hallway that led to the bathrooms, Eve loosened her gripped on Myra's arm.

"Geez! What the heck?" Myra asked, yanking her arm away.

"Don't geez, what the heck, me. What was that about, huh? And don't lie, I know you know." She demanded. Myra smiled coyly and shrugged.

"You should be asking yourself that, I didn't see you resisting much. Oh and don't blame it all on your drink, after all you only had a sip."

"Yeah, well thanks to that little episode, I'm gonna need a whole lot more." Eve remarked and stomped off to the bar. Myra shook her head.

"Shot of whiskey!" Eve yelled to the bartender.

"Whiskey?!" Myra exclaimed. "Come on now, don't do that!" Myra said pulling the drink from the bartender as he was serving it.

"Give it to me Myra." Eve said, frustration in her voice.

"What do you need it for, huh? You're being stupid!"

"I'm being stupid?! I was being stupid out there, dancing with a guy I hardly know, seconds away from making out with him, and you're calling this stupid?!" Eve shouted.

"So, what? It happens all the time at clubs." Myra protested.

"That's not what this is and you know it. What aren't you telling me?" Eve asked accusingly, yanking her drink from Myra, spilling a bit on the floor. Myra sighed.

"Look, you know you felt something right? So just go with it….your heart is telling you it's something you need to do, Eve." Myra said softly. Eve gulped down her drink and gave Myra a dubious look.

"'Just go with it?' My heart is telling me? What the hell?" Eve asked incredulously. "Do you hear yourself? Myra, I have a fiancé."

"So? You could be making a wrong choice…not to say Benjamin is a bad guy at all, but maybe he's not the one you're really meant to be with." Myra said imploringly. Eve gulped down a second shot of whiskey and scoffed.

"I can't believe this…you know, I'm just gonna sit at the bar for a while." Eve said, implying she wanted to be alone. Myra sighed and went back to join Nicholas and Jack. On her way back the d.j. caught her eye. She grinned.

oOo

"Want something to drink? We have a few Blue Moon's here if you care to have any." Nicholas said, trying to spark a conversation with Jack. Jack looked warily at the bottles sitting on the table. Not having a clue what Blue Moon was and not caring at the moment, he nodded in agreement. Nicholas smiled and handed him a cold, unopened bottle. Jack twisted the cap hard, cutting his hand a bit as he did so, but he paid no mind as a few drops of blood hit his tie. He lifted the bottle to his lips and shuddered as the liquid hit his tongue.

"Ugh!...Erm…this is a bit….well, vile." He stated. Nicholas laughed.

"Don't tell me that's the first beer you've ever had! Woooooo! Take care not to take too much or it'll hit you hard." He smiled and took another sip from his bottle. Jack looked back down at his. He didn't exactly understand what Nicholas meant by 'hit him hard', nor did he really care. He found himself wanting to drink more despite the putrid taste. He placed it to his mouth again and gulped down. By the time Myra had returned, Jack was already on his third bottle. Myra saw the collection of bottles gathering in front of him.

"How many has he had?" she asked. Nicholas shrugged.

"A few." He mumbled. Myra eyed him, but said nothing more about it. A new song filled the speakers, loud and energetic.

"You like this song Jack? It's by a band called Muse." Myra said over the music. Jack began to tap his foot.

"What's it called?" he said just a loudly.

"Supermassive Black Hole."

Jack grinned and felt the beat begin to move him. He locked eyes with Myra and suddenly knew what he had to do. He nodded and grinned at Myra, then turned toward the bar, where he had seen Eve strut off earlier. His pace quickened with the rhythm and upon reaching Eve, took her hand. After a beat, Eve turned around to face Jack, although not shying away as she was earlier. Jack could see on the counter behind her that there were three empty, upside down shot glasses. He grinned.

"Come with me." He whispered in her ear. He could feel her tremble at his words, but she followed him willingly unto the dance floor. The beat pulsated and jolted. Jack grabbed Eve by the waist in swift motion and pulled her into him. She didn't show any sign of resistance and they began to move to the music. Eve turned around, her back now to Jack and began to grind gently against him. Jack could feel that distinct, animal desire again, welling up inside of him. Eve flipped her hair, revealing her neck, and her scent washed over him.

Oh baby don't you know I suffer?

Oh baby can you hear me moan?

Jack inhaled her scent, letting it intoxicate him. He lowered his head into the grove of her neck, his breath hitting in quick puffs. Eve leaned her head back, revealing more of herself to him. His eyes trailed to her chest and he found it hard to ignore her full, sumptuous breasts being held in place by her black lacy bra, which Jack could now see being exposed to him. He sighed, his desire becoming stronger, fiercer. She turned Eve around, their lips mere centimeters apart. He grabbed her thigh, pulling her leg to meet his waist. He dipped her and Eve tossed back her head to where Jack's lips were lightly caressing her neck. Not being able to help himself, he let his lips venture further down her chest. Eve gasped and Jack could feel her tense. He lifted her back up.

Ooooooooohhhh ooooh oooooh you set my soul alight…

They were now face to face again, inhaling each other's hot breath. Eve turned and looked toward the dark hallway that led toward the bathrooms. She looked back at Jack and caught his eye. They both grinned. Grabbing Jack's hand, sending chills up his arm, Eve led him to that dark, secret place. Upon finding the darkest corner in the hallway, Eve let her back hit the wall as she faced Jack. Neither knew what they were getting themselves into, nor were they thinking about the consequences. Their faces closed in on each other.

"How do I know you?" Eve breathed, revealing for the first time that she had some inclination as to the familiarity that Jack's presence presented her with. Jack lowered his head, his forehead leaning against hers.

"You don't." he whispered back, a tone of sadness in his voice. Eve looked at him for a moment, a bit of confusion in her expression. Thinking that Eve was going to pull away, Jack pulled his face away from hers. No sooner than he began to back off, Eve lunged at him, grabbing him by his collar, and shoved her mouth into his. Jack was overwhelmed by the sensation of Eve's soft, wet lips on his, her curvaceous body thrusting into him.

Their kisses were fierce and unyielding, both of them struggling for breath. Almost unknowingly, Jack let his hands slid to Eve's hips, pulling her more and more into him as he pushed her against the wall. Eve's hands ventured from Jack's shirt collar to his jacket to his chest, exploring its firmness. Instinctively, Jack moved his mouth from Eve's and proceeded to kiss her neck. Being unable to help himself, he bit it, causing Eve to moan, thus further encouraging Jack's ravenous desire. His mouth made its way down her neck to where her breasts began. Jack found himself parting her blouse so as to gain better access to them. Eve moaned even more loudly and Jack groaned between breaths, beginning to feel an almost uncontrollable urge serge between his legs.

As Jack fought with Eve's blouse, he was startled by a vibration coming from within it. Eve pulled away from him, startled as well. She turned around to pull her phone from out of a small compartment in her top. As she read it she gave a small gasp. Jack looked over her shoulder to see what it said. It was from Myra.

Benjamin is here.