"The Dark Stranger"
© VeGirl 2014

It is not a tiny cell that I'm kept in, but my room. With something that I think is a boundary spell, I am not allowed to leave. Vincent is allowed supervised visits, and between those, my so called parents are doing their best to convince me to stay.

With bitterness I think about how I avoided my earthly family gatherings and wished that I was there now. Even Uncle Steve who usually feels like a creep, seems to evoke family-love to me. Warmth, comfort and communion...

"What do they want with me?" I growl where I sit alone in the vast boudoir. "What difference can I do here?"

Restlessly I get in my feet and walk barefoot back and forth feeling like a caged animal... I think...

My feet are not cold even as they walk over the shiny floor out if white marble or something. I've never stopped and contemplated what things were built of. Things like that has never been interesting to me, but now I'm suddenly curious who made the walls and the floor so impeccable shiny. Who is in charge of cleaning?

Walls like crystal surely must be a dickens to clean. Everywhere I turn, everything shines; everything seems perfect... too perfect.

I am nothing like perfect.

That little revelation makes everything snap inside me, and the devastation turns into anger in a millisecond.

Vincent has the misfortune to enter my room at that precise moment and he gets an earful. "Is this what you negotiated for me when you were here?" I snarl. I know I have made a terrible mistake when he looks like I've slapped him across the face.

"You don't mean that!"

I sigh shamefully and close my eyes. He is right; I didn't mean that, but what am I supposed to believe? "Why am I held captive?" I whine. My mood is almost giving myself whiplash as is goes from extreme to extreme; from zero to hundred and back again in a millisecond.

"I'm sorry I didn't convince you to stay on earth for another few hundred years," he mumble against my hair as he holds me tight.

I am profoundly happy that 'the powers' finally have started to post my guard outside the door after what feels like several weeks of having them standing on the inside. We can hug without worrying whether the guard is watching or not.

Vincent's arms around me provide comfort still and I hunger for more than just his arms. "How much longer must I have to be here?" I whisper into the folds of his white tunic.

'Shh...' He hisses through our mental connection. '...you have to be careful with what you say...'

'Really?' I simply think and suddenly I know very well that they listen in on everything here. Gradually everything comes back to me; not like when we returned to our secret never-never land, but little by little I remember how things were. 'Spies, yeah I remember.' I look up into his dark eyes and my foul mood evaporates instantly. 'Let's stop talking then...' I project to him and my hands slide around his torso.

His dark chuckle makes my skin prickle in a good way.

'I need you.' I press up against him and don't care that we are under extraordinary circumstances. The strain and pressure has taken its toll on me and I desperately need him.

I can easily feel the muscles under the tunic he is wearing and I'm not the only one who is urgent to get united. His arousal is easily detected and that spur me on further. It doesn't take long until I am pulling on the thin fabric to get to the treat underneath. His response is immediate and he lifts me over to the bed all we have to do is haul the hems up to wrap ourselves around one another.

I moan out loud as he swiftly enters me and I hear him shush me to be quiet. That has little to none effect on me; it rather urges me on further and my moan gets louder.

His lips cover my mouth, silencing me effectively.

The kisses are deep and desperate as is our lovemaking; both of us needs to be somewhere else than this place and the only way to do that is through this unity. This way I can remember the smell of jasmines from last we indulged in the swing of the hammock in our backyard or when we relocated that magical meadow where our marriage was so many years ago.

This is the only way for me to completely forget where I am.

With long deep breaths I move my languid body next to Vincent's. In my sated smile there is still sadness and soon it overrides the satisfaction I feel.

I still miss my friends and life.

"What about Eddie and Layla?" I feel my eyes well up and let the emotional stress overwhelm me. "What about my parents and my brother Nick? Who is taking care of them while I'm in lockup here?"

"Oh baby, come here." He pulls me into his strong arms and I sob into his white clothes once again.

* * *

"What about Eddie and Layla?" I feel my eyes well up and let the emotional stress overwhelm me. "What about my parents and my brother Nick? Who is taking care of them while I'm in lockup here?"

"Oh baby, come here." He pulls me into his strong arms and I sob into his white clothes once again.

"I'm gonna ruin your shirt again," I sob. "White clothes suck!"

Vincent snickers. "Yeah... I prefer you in red lace or black..."

I feign ire and slap him on the arm, but cannot hold my face. It is releasing and comforting to laugh and I need it desperately. "You like the turquoise ones as well," I laugh, but the laughter ends in a sigh. "I am worried about my friends, will I ever return to them? Do they think I've abandoned them or is time still while we're here?"

"I know you're worried." He hugs me tighter again. "Compassion is one of your greatest traits and I am proud of you."

"Yeah, I guess that compassion and good mood will fade away up here..." My mood is plunging to depths I have never heard of.

He takes my hand. "Come."

Surprised I follow as he leads me to a window showing a white landscape and I think of snow, winter and cold weather. Weather... "Does the weather ever change here?" I ask randomly. "I need some variety," I sigh.

"Variety in weather; is that why you settled down in Phoenix?" he teases and I glare at him until he laughs again and at least makes me smile. "I wanna show you something." He presses a button next to the window and a motor bus as a new opening slides up.

Colour flows in through the window and I soon recognise the blue vibrant colours. "It's earth," I exclaim, amazed at the sight of the blue planet from the outside. "Wow! Only astronauts get to see it from this point of view."

"...and angels..."

I turn surprised to watch him with wide eyes. "Can I see Eddie...?"

"Sure," he smile and presses some kind of controlpanel and the big blue planet seems to come racing towards us in such a speed that I flinch and recoil backwards. "We're not crashing..." he smirks and I frown. "I'm just zooming in..."

I watch with my mouth hanging open as Arizona and then Phoenix becomes clear. With Phoenix clear the picture, the map zoom in to the north and soon we can see our own little town and I can even find the roads to my work and our houses.

"Oh look!" I watch Eddie walk out through the door from work and walk with heavy steps. "She looks sad," I comment as my stomach clench and there is a pang in my heart.

"Yes, I suppose you're right. You've been gone for a good couple of weeks now and even though the memory of us was withdrawn as soon as we left that realm, she lack your friendship."

"She doesn't remember that she knew me?"

He simply smiles patiently and shakes his head slowly.

I groan in sorrow.

* * *

Once in a while I am summoned to the main quarter, probably for my parents to see whether I have changed my mind or not.

"Why would you ever want to leave this beautiful place?" My mother says and I have once again wondered if this is a matriarchy and if God actually is a woman? I refrain from asking at this point though.

"Why does everything have to be about surface?"

"What do you mean?"

"Everything is looking perfect, but life isn't perfect!"

"What do you mean?"

I sigh. Of course she would never understand; she who is sitting there with her blond hair in perfect curls. "Is there something wrong with beauty? This has been our way for all time."

With another heavy sigh I realise they will never know what I'm talking about. "What about friendship and love?"

"You mean loyalty?"

"No Love!" I exclaim tiredly. "You must have loved one another at least on some level. What holds you together?"

"Our Father..."

"I thought God stood for love, not obedience."

They kept looking bemused at me.

"Oh just forget it!" I simply say, turn on my heel and frustrated pass the common areas as I walk back to my room. As if Vincent had been able to know how much I needed him, he show up just a few minutes after I get back.

"Hi, how did it go?"

I sigh and slump down on bed. "They are completely..."

'Watch it...' he interrupts me and I straighten up immediately. 'Good girl' he says and there is a glib smile on his face that makes my inside tingle.

How can a phrase like good girl evoke such obedience towards him when it simply provokes me to disagree when my parents want it? I know the answer; sex.

I snicker internally and Vincent looks curiously at me. He has preceded my internal battle and know exactly what I need.

'Why have I suddenly turned into some effing rabbit that need you to hump me all the time?' I snicker.

'You've always been like that.' He goads me and I slap him playfully.

"Ouch," he says out loud and snickers.

"Where are you when you're not with me?" I ask

"I pay my dues by working..."

"But... don't you have a room?"

"Yes... in the common part, where the lower rank angels live.

'Lower rank? I hate this elitist community' If I'm not able to get away from here, and have to rule with my parents, this hierarchy is so going down. "Take me to your quarter."

Vincent's eyes widen. "Your parents won't like it."

"Good."

That is how we happen to be strolling along the corridors. I walk with Vincent two steps behind me as some kind of servant; anything to avoid suspicion.

The further we come from the main area, the narrower the hallways get. Everything is still as white and bright, but the material that this place is built with changes and I stop to look at the wall. Is it quarts?

Vincent's arms slide around my waist and he snicker. "What are you doing?"

"I was just wondering..." His bright smile makes me lose all coherent thoughts and I smile at him. "Never mind."

"Gladly."

Something catches my attention; it is music. I realise that so far all kind of music I've heard have been plinking on lures.

Music is pouring out and I realize I haven't heard any decent music at all. There are people plinking on harps, but here I can detect somebody putting a drumbeat on and isn't that a guitar riff?

Curiously I peak inside and the music silence immediately.

"Oh, please don't stop." I look at the wide eyed people; no sorry, angels. "I haven't heard a good beat in... ages!" Several of them has already got to their feet respectfully, but others look bemused to my side where Vincent stand, looking amused.

"It was a long time since we went out dancing." I complain and the whining tone amplifies my dislike.

"That's because you can't keep your hands off of me." He playfully goads me and I miss the way the others mouths falls open as I slide my arms around his waist.

The room is completely silent; you know the feeling when you talk about hearing a needle drop. Well here isn't even any airconditiion or refrigerators humming. It is silent.

"I haven't heard music in too long." I realise now that I miss it terrible. "Was that Imagine Dragons I heard?"

"Yes," a weak voice says.

"I love them!"

The others keep watching me suspiciously, especially since several of them flinched at my exclamation. Only the brave girl who answered my question is giving me a weak smile.

"What else can you play?"

The girl's smile widens. "How about Muse?"

"Oh yes!" I feel giddy and am almost jumping up and down. "Can you?" I look greedy around the room as they start to play the homemade instruments, sounding like base and guitar while a few bang on some stool they're sitting on. I bob my head to the beat and soon I am flat out dancing there.

The musicians are very friendly and I have a really good time. It takes me some time but finally I realise that they have recognized me from the start and were afraid that I would cause them trouble. "That why you were avid? I have enough to cause trouble for myself." I smile at them and notice how they relax.

My heart is lifted when we leave them after what I imagine is a couple of hours.

"It was so good to finally se you smile again." The affection is clear for everyone to see. "Did you even laugh there at some point?"

I snicker as I answer. "No more making fun of the geek." My feign sour face changes as I slide my arms around his waist. "I really needed that."

"We all needed a good laugh. Not that we all laughed at you, sweetie," he add as I gasp theatrical at the accidental insult.

My smile widen and I feel content. "Thank you for that. All I need now is a walk through the steep forest to that garden swing of ours." My sigh reveal how sad I am, even through my smile.

"Oh how I miss the smell of sunshine on your face."

I almost flinch as I realise that I have been eviscerated one of my most important senses. Vincent looks surprised and I understand that I am still piercing him with a peculiar look. "I didn't get that is what was missing. I was focusing that this place needs love."

He leans his head back and a hearty laughter is echoing between the perfect walls. "Not between you and me." His tone is suggestive and his eyes sparkle to an extent that I am able to forget my current situation.

I forget that I am here by force, that I have been robbed from all my friends and family; that I have been taken from a life that got a deep meaning as soon as I laid eyes on Vincent. Again.

His smile meets my lips and every feeling that has ever been between us arise again. Passion is urging us towards my kingsize bed and love is what keeps us from losing our minds in this sterile environment.

"Do you remember the shielding Esme taught you?" Vincent whispers between kisses and I nod mostly for him to stop talking and ravish me. "You're gonna have to focus to do this, my love."

I look surprised up at him.

His smile is gone, but the passionate fire is clear in his eyes. "I will be beheaded if they know what we even think," he whispers. "But I need to have you." The kiss he gives me takes me instantly to cloud nine and I am eager for him to proceed. "What did Esme tell you?" he press out between kisses.

I focus my best to recall what she said.

Imagine a protective shield, like one of those glass domes that you put over plants. This dome will shield and protect you from everything, your thoughts won't be free for everyone to read.

I desperately need that now especially here where everybody has the ability to communicate through thoughts; especially now when Vincent's life might be in danger. In my mind I build up a dome not just over my head, but over us both; over this bed we're in. Here we have our own little private bubble of love, where nobody can disturb us. Here we are safe. Here we can indulge in the passion that is ready to part and destroy us; the passion that has always been overwhelming. The touch of his hand almost makes my skin burn and sets me on fire like dry wood. I am desiccated and he is the only thing that can save me from going up in flames.

Together we make a team effort to keep the protective shield strong and keep us safe as the world outside has lost meaning to us and passion is threatening to destroy us both.

Naked skin is pressed against skin, pulses are racing; eyes roll up in delight. My nails are gripping Vincent closer to me and his strong hands are used to hold my hips as he keeps the pace going. The rhythm is seductive as well as exhilarating and finally I have no thought at the entire protective shield around us as we tip over the edge and finish in a release that should have shook the world.

.