There is an old saying, May you live in interesting times.
I would say today’s world qualifies. Why just this morning:
Greece will default
Greece won’t default
Greece will default
The EU is facing doomsday.
No, not true. The EU will stand
Israeli’s will/won’t bomb Iran.
The market is up and the market is down, however, the market is still close to its highs.
Well that’s enough of a political commentary right now. Frankly, i’ve had enough. Haven't you ever wished you had a safety zone? A place where no one could bother you? Where the news didn't exist, school didn't demand your attention, or a place where no one could enter? Four strong walls that kept the outside out and the inside in?
Yeah, me too.
I am so excited to be working on the sequel to Gemini Rising. I have to say it’s going well. I really like the darn thing and because it's the only thing that got me happy this week, I've put it here for you to enjoy. Here is the first chapter, unedited of course.
Happy reading!
CHAPTER ONE
From the book Gemini Rising: To think is to be.
Eyes closed and feeling terrified, Kathryn Kelly waited for the whirling that surrounded her to stop. She remembered kissing her newborn daughter good-bye and the look in Ryan’s eyes; despair etched on his young face was almost more than she could bear.
She grew nauseous and Noah’s arms tightened around her as he sensed her feelings. She hadn’t seen him for months, the entire time she was pregnant. She had wondered if he even knew about the baby. Then, just moments ago, she had faced death, until Noah showed up in the birthing room and whisked
her away.
Suddenly, the dizziness stopped. She opened her eyes and rested against her mate too weak to stand on her own as the mist settled, gray mixed with bluish sparkles resembling Prana.
“Oh God, please no.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“It’s all right. I know you miss the children.”
She gazed at him, drinking in his presence, thanking the Light for his understanding.
Vivid blue eyes looked back, a smile playing around his lips. “I had no idea how much I missed you.”
Myriad thoughts ran through her brain, the agony of losing her children, the overwhelming loneliness life without them would bring, yet mixed within her sadness was joy. Noah was here, strong, tall, and powerful. He would guard her until she grew strong enough to protect herself.
Sweeping one arm under her legs, Noah lifted her against his chest. His voice spun through her brain, bringing comfort.
“Shhh. It is only for a time.”
Any strength she’d had melted away as sorrow spread in waves. She sobbed, her heart broken. “I can’t leave them. Who will feed Lucia? Who will help Ryan become the man he is meant to be?”
Noah held her tight. “Listen to me. Time is not what it seems. It moves faster here.”
“I don’t understand.” Her voice grazed his ear and she breathed deep, taking in the scent of him.
“In space, time moves slower, but here a lifetime can be lived in moments.”
“Are you sure?”
“Quite sure. Trust me.”
She stroked his face, studying the deeply pigmented skin, the shining eyes, and the hawk-shaped nose that warmed her soul. She wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling her face into warm flesh. “I missed you so much. I thought I’d never see you again.”
He cradled her. “If Bel hadn’t warned me, I might have lost you forever.”
Remembering Lucia’s birth, Kate envisioned the warmth that flowed from her body onto the sheets. Crimson stains dotted the bedding, her legs, and oh dear God, her son. “My poor Ryan.”
Even though Ryan was not biologically Noah’s, her mate had given him the gift to heal after the crossing of Nibiru. Earth had tipped on its side and those not taken aboard the Nektosha were injured and maimed. The people had needed her son and probably needed him still.
Noah kept walking. “I promised to bring you back to the children and I will.”
Feeling faint, Kate slipped for a moment into another world where Ryan waited and Lucia cried for her milk. Her entire body awash with wanting caused a great sob to tear through her then a sigh, bringing relief. In that moment, she knew they would be cared for and in her heart, she knew she would do
everything to destroy Rathor, the clone that conspired their deaths.
Noah stopped and she lifted her head, perusing a valley below. Like a grassy womb, the vale spread from one stand of trees to the other, her eyes dancing over strikes of light that lit the valley floor, outlining each blade of grass, bush, and tree. Amazed, she took in the sights and sounds.
Everything was clear, sharply so. “Where are we?”
“In the Olam Yetzirah.”
“My God. It’s beautiful.” Green grass spiked off molten light, caressing the meadow in waves. Even the trees shined, everything perfectly attuned to her senses.
Noah stopped and sat down on the grass, holding her close. “It is the home of the angels, a place of dreams, but for now it is our haven.” He smiled, fine lines crinkling at the edges of his eyes.
Kate leaned against him as she overlooked a garden that grazed the perimeter of the grassy expanse. Rich reds, deep sea greens, and violent yellows brightened the tips of hearty vines that glowed with perfect health.
Across the meadow lay a shining city of white. A golden dome-topped structure rested on the outskirts. Suddenly, a memory jolted and she felt certain she’d been here before. “I know this place.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Bel brought me here. He gave me a copy of Gemini Rising before the crossing. It’s a library of sort.”
Noah pointed toward the dome. “That’s the Hall of Wisdom.”
Kate studied the building and then the garden. “I’m sure it’s the same place and the people dress in white with golden sashes.” She did a double take, first at Noah, then at herself.
Fine white cotton rippled across Noah’s broad shoulders that ended at his thighs. The same fiber made up his pants and around his waist, a golden belt hung. Her gown was made of the same material, soft, almost whimsical in its beauty. She too had a golden sash.
“No jeans allowed,” he said with a grin.
“It’s lovely. I’ve never seen anything like it.” She fingered the dress.
Noah leaned in close and parted her lips with his tongue. Reaching in, he kissed her.
Kate responded to him even though she had given birth just moments earlier. She fell into his embrace and let the warmth of their union surround her until finally, he pulled away.
“You taste like wine,”he said, his warm breath tickling her cheek. “Heady enough to fill me with joy and spicy enough to keep me warm. I don’t think I would have survived if something had happened to
you.”
Comfort filled her along with a sense of rightness.
He grew serious and pointed. “The Hall of Wisdom is Bel’s pet project. Your library in Alexandria was a perfect copy before it was destroyed by Nero.” He put her off his lap and stood, holding one hand out to her.
“I don’t think…”
“You can stand and in just a few short minutes your body will completely recover.”
Legs trembling, she got to her feet. A slight nausea filled her then disappeared. She allowed her eyes to follow his hand. Ambient lighting struck the Hall of Wisdom, causing it to glisten. There wasn’t a sun, but light was everywhere. Not a shadow trailed.
Noah continued, “Every thought and deed throughout the universe is recorded here. We have two lives, the one where we are conscious and the one where we dream.”
“That’s impossible.”
Noah laughed. “Nothing is impossible.”
“So, you’re saying we’re in our dream world?”
“Yes. It is just as absolute as our conscious world. Only now this place is real and the other the dream.”
“Are Ryan and Lucia dreams?”
“They could be. I know that if we stay here too long they will fade in memory, just like your dreams fade in your other life.”
“Oh, no. That can’t happen.” A sudden shock of fear chased her stomach to her feet.
“We won’t allow it to happen. In any case, Rathor cannot harm them now.”
“How do you know?” Kate’s voice quavered as thoughts of the disastrous implications her leaving might create.
"They are under Bel’s protection. Rathor can only find them through us. We have a unique parity with connections to the children. Ryan and Lucia are, even as we speak, protected within the belly of Earth.” He frowned, his eyes turning deadly. “If we were with the children, it would be only moments before Rathor destroyed them.”
“Ryan too?”
“Especially Ryan. Rathor wants to hurt us both. You perhaps, more than me.”
“Did you know this would happen? Did you know of Rathor’s hatred of humanity? "
His eyes lightened as they locked on hers. “No, but it seems Bel did. He tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. Without the Light, things become more, uh, complicated.”
Kate could only imagine. The Light had been with Noah’s people for eons. It guided them, talked to them, and comforted the Nareshians. At the moment of her and Noah’s union, Noah’s green eyes had turned a startling blue and the Light had gone out from his people’s lives.
He continued, “I think that at some point we will meet Rathor again.”
“Here?”
Noah lifted his head and gazed about. A strange light emanated from his eyes. “In the Olam only Light created souls can find safety. Rathor is a clone.”
“What about Jason?”
“Bel will see to his safety too.”
Relief settled. Kate no longer loved her husband, but did care about him. The look on his face just before she had left with Noah, told her he still loved her. She was glad he was with the children. Bel too.
Noah stepped away and she followed, her legs unsteady but growing stronger. Across the valley and beyond the library, numerous buildings spread out on a hilltop and though it was far away, the grounds were crowded with people she could just make out. “Is that a city?”
“It’s more of a school. Advanced souls come here to learn how to project their minds, move objects without physical force, and even how to create worlds, depending on where they are on the evolutionary ladder. Like your dreams, you can live and learn a lifetimes’ worth of experience in just a few
moments.”
Her heart lifted. “How much time will pass before we return?”
“I don’t know.” Noah frowned as she staggered. “Slow down. Give yourself time. Here, the mind overrules the body, not the body the mind.”
She put out a foot, then another and another. Her strength returned and the pangs of childbirth eased. Within moments, she kept stride with him. Hope blossomed. If she could regain her health so quickly, perhaps he was right and her time here would be short.
They crossed a small bridge and skirted a waterwheel. A log home resided next to the wheel that sang and clattered as a small stream pushed wooden boxes in a circular pattern. Four steps led up to the front door. A four-paned window looked over the valley, light glancing off beveled glass.
Kate asked, “Who lives here?”
Noah laughed. “Do you remember what I told you about the Olam?”
“Which part?”
“About it being the place of dreams?”
“Yes.”
“This is your dream home.”
“My what?”
“The home you dreamed of while in the flesh. Would you like to go in? Obviously, it’s important to you or it wouldn’t be here.”
Kate turned and headed toward the porch. “Don’t be silly. Someone must live inside.”
“Apparently we will for a time.”
“How do you know it’s mine?” She stopped and looked over her shoulder.
“It has you written all over it.”
“Where? I mean, how?”
“The wood speaks of emotional safety; the water wheel of ongoing love for those far away, but most of all, the garden outside the front door contains roses—your favorite flower. It isn’t hard if you look and really see.”
“But why here?”
Noah shrugged. “You have a need to feel safe right now, hence the house. While you are within, no one can bother you without permission. This is your safety zone. Our safety zone if you will it.”
Kate opened the door and walked inside.
While the outside spoke of security and comfort, the inside allowed her spirit to roam free. Cathedral ceilings, supported by powerful wooden beams suggested space while a colorful rug hanging on one wall added color and richness. Leather couches and chairs hugged a huge rock fireplace and
knotty pine walls sported oil lamps and pictures of mountains shrouded in snow. “How could I create this with just my mind?” She knocked her hand against a wall. “It’s so real.”
“In the Olam every probability is researched and the one most suited to you is created. You’ll need to be careful though. While the house is nice, I don’t expect your nightmares are.”
“Noah, I’m frightened.” She turned to look at him.
“Of what?”
“I don’t belong here. I can’t control my mind like you. What if something happens? What if…”
Noah wrapped his arms around her. “We will find our way through.”
The scent of his skin and the warmth of his body set her emotions reeling—God, how she wanted him. He smiled, one side crooked with humor as if reading her mind and she blushed.
He said, “You want me and I need you. What is wrong with that? Why are humans so afraid to touch?”
Mesmerized by his lips speaking words she longed to hear she wanted to chase her memories aside. Still, one insisted on her remembering. Noah came from the planet Naresh. His people had visited Earth for eons, each time saving several thousand humans to repopulate the planet after the crossing
of Nibiru. Noah had been assigned to her. The first time she saw him she knew she loved him and because of their union, they had changed the universe.
“Is there a bedroom?”
“If you want one.”
She grabbed his hand, leading him upstairs. The first room they came to held a four-poster bed. She glanced from the bed to Noah then threw herself into his arms. They fell onto cotton sheets and scrambled out of their clothes. Warm lips nibbled her shoulders, her breasts, and her belly. Heat rose,
filling her womb with a lushness she hadn’t known possible.
Devoid of Noah’s presence for months, she craved his attention. The touch of his hand set off waves of wanting. The children, on whom her thoughts settled, drifted into dreamland and once again, she gave herself over to the Light and the flame.
I would say today’s world qualifies. Why just this morning:
Greece will default
Greece won’t default
Greece will default
The EU is facing doomsday.
No, not true. The EU will stand
Israeli’s will/won’t bomb Iran.
The market is up and the market is down, however, the market is still close to its highs.
Well that’s enough of a political commentary right now. Frankly, i’ve had enough. Haven't you ever wished you had a safety zone? A place where no one could bother you? Where the news didn't exist, school didn't demand your attention, or a place where no one could enter? Four strong walls that kept the outside out and the inside in?
Yeah, me too.
I am so excited to be working on the sequel to Gemini Rising. I have to say it’s going well. I really like the darn thing and because it's the only thing that got me happy this week, I've put it here for you to enjoy. Here is the first chapter, unedited of course.
Happy reading!
CHAPTER ONE
From the book Gemini Rising: To think is to be.
Eyes closed and feeling terrified, Kathryn Kelly waited for the whirling that surrounded her to stop. She remembered kissing her newborn daughter good-bye and the look in Ryan’s eyes; despair etched on his young face was almost more than she could bear.
She grew nauseous and Noah’s arms tightened around her as he sensed her feelings. She hadn’t seen him for months, the entire time she was pregnant. She had wondered if he even knew about the baby. Then, just moments ago, she had faced death, until Noah showed up in the birthing room and whisked
her away.
Suddenly, the dizziness stopped. She opened her eyes and rested against her mate too weak to stand on her own as the mist settled, gray mixed with bluish sparkles resembling Prana.
“Oh God, please no.” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them.
“It’s all right. I know you miss the children.”
She gazed at him, drinking in his presence, thanking the Light for his understanding.
Vivid blue eyes looked back, a smile playing around his lips. “I had no idea how much I missed you.”
Myriad thoughts ran through her brain, the agony of losing her children, the overwhelming loneliness life without them would bring, yet mixed within her sadness was joy. Noah was here, strong, tall, and powerful. He would guard her until she grew strong enough to protect herself.
Sweeping one arm under her legs, Noah lifted her against his chest. His voice spun through her brain, bringing comfort.
“Shhh. It is only for a time.”
Any strength she’d had melted away as sorrow spread in waves. She sobbed, her heart broken. “I can’t leave them. Who will feed Lucia? Who will help Ryan become the man he is meant to be?”
Noah held her tight. “Listen to me. Time is not what it seems. It moves faster here.”
“I don’t understand.” Her voice grazed his ear and she breathed deep, taking in the scent of him.
“In space, time moves slower, but here a lifetime can be lived in moments.”
“Are you sure?”
“Quite sure. Trust me.”
She stroked his face, studying the deeply pigmented skin, the shining eyes, and the hawk-shaped nose that warmed her soul. She wrapped her arms around his neck, snuggling her face into warm flesh. “I missed you so much. I thought I’d never see you again.”
He cradled her. “If Bel hadn’t warned me, I might have lost you forever.”
Remembering Lucia’s birth, Kate envisioned the warmth that flowed from her body onto the sheets. Crimson stains dotted the bedding, her legs, and oh dear God, her son. “My poor Ryan.”
Even though Ryan was not biologically Noah’s, her mate had given him the gift to heal after the crossing of Nibiru. Earth had tipped on its side and those not taken aboard the Nektosha were injured and maimed. The people had needed her son and probably needed him still.
Noah kept walking. “I promised to bring you back to the children and I will.”
Feeling faint, Kate slipped for a moment into another world where Ryan waited and Lucia cried for her milk. Her entire body awash with wanting caused a great sob to tear through her then a sigh, bringing relief. In that moment, she knew they would be cared for and in her heart, she knew she would do
everything to destroy Rathor, the clone that conspired their deaths.
Noah stopped and she lifted her head, perusing a valley below. Like a grassy womb, the vale spread from one stand of trees to the other, her eyes dancing over strikes of light that lit the valley floor, outlining each blade of grass, bush, and tree. Amazed, she took in the sights and sounds.
Everything was clear, sharply so. “Where are we?”
“In the Olam Yetzirah.”
“My God. It’s beautiful.” Green grass spiked off molten light, caressing the meadow in waves. Even the trees shined, everything perfectly attuned to her senses.
Noah stopped and sat down on the grass, holding her close. “It is the home of the angels, a place of dreams, but for now it is our haven.” He smiled, fine lines crinkling at the edges of his eyes.
Kate leaned against him as she overlooked a garden that grazed the perimeter of the grassy expanse. Rich reds, deep sea greens, and violent yellows brightened the tips of hearty vines that glowed with perfect health.
Across the meadow lay a shining city of white. A golden dome-topped structure rested on the outskirts. Suddenly, a memory jolted and she felt certain she’d been here before. “I know this place.”
“You do?”
“Yes. Bel brought me here. He gave me a copy of Gemini Rising before the crossing. It’s a library of sort.”
Noah pointed toward the dome. “That’s the Hall of Wisdom.”
Kate studied the building and then the garden. “I’m sure it’s the same place and the people dress in white with golden sashes.” She did a double take, first at Noah, then at herself.
Fine white cotton rippled across Noah’s broad shoulders that ended at his thighs. The same fiber made up his pants and around his waist, a golden belt hung. Her gown was made of the same material, soft, almost whimsical in its beauty. She too had a golden sash.
“No jeans allowed,” he said with a grin.
“It’s lovely. I’ve never seen anything like it.” She fingered the dress.
Noah leaned in close and parted her lips with his tongue. Reaching in, he kissed her.
Kate responded to him even though she had given birth just moments earlier. She fell into his embrace and let the warmth of their union surround her until finally, he pulled away.
“You taste like wine,”he said, his warm breath tickling her cheek. “Heady enough to fill me with joy and spicy enough to keep me warm. I don’t think I would have survived if something had happened to
you.”
Comfort filled her along with a sense of rightness.
He grew serious and pointed. “The Hall of Wisdom is Bel’s pet project. Your library in Alexandria was a perfect copy before it was destroyed by Nero.” He put her off his lap and stood, holding one hand out to her.
“I don’t think…”
“You can stand and in just a few short minutes your body will completely recover.”
Legs trembling, she got to her feet. A slight nausea filled her then disappeared. She allowed her eyes to follow his hand. Ambient lighting struck the Hall of Wisdom, causing it to glisten. There wasn’t a sun, but light was everywhere. Not a shadow trailed.
Noah continued, “Every thought and deed throughout the universe is recorded here. We have two lives, the one where we are conscious and the one where we dream.”
“That’s impossible.”
Noah laughed. “Nothing is impossible.”
“So, you’re saying we’re in our dream world?”
“Yes. It is just as absolute as our conscious world. Only now this place is real and the other the dream.”
“Are Ryan and Lucia dreams?”
“They could be. I know that if we stay here too long they will fade in memory, just like your dreams fade in your other life.”
“Oh, no. That can’t happen.” A sudden shock of fear chased her stomach to her feet.
“We won’t allow it to happen. In any case, Rathor cannot harm them now.”
“How do you know?” Kate’s voice quavered as thoughts of the disastrous implications her leaving might create.
"They are under Bel’s protection. Rathor can only find them through us. We have a unique parity with connections to the children. Ryan and Lucia are, even as we speak, protected within the belly of Earth.” He frowned, his eyes turning deadly. “If we were with the children, it would be only moments before Rathor destroyed them.”
“Ryan too?”
“Especially Ryan. Rathor wants to hurt us both. You perhaps, more than me.”
“Did you know this would happen? Did you know of Rathor’s hatred of humanity? "
His eyes lightened as they locked on hers. “No, but it seems Bel did. He tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen. Without the Light, things become more, uh, complicated.”
Kate could only imagine. The Light had been with Noah’s people for eons. It guided them, talked to them, and comforted the Nareshians. At the moment of her and Noah’s union, Noah’s green eyes had turned a startling blue and the Light had gone out from his people’s lives.
He continued, “I think that at some point we will meet Rathor again.”
“Here?”
Noah lifted his head and gazed about. A strange light emanated from his eyes. “In the Olam only Light created souls can find safety. Rathor is a clone.”
“What about Jason?”
“Bel will see to his safety too.”
Relief settled. Kate no longer loved her husband, but did care about him. The look on his face just before she had left with Noah, told her he still loved her. She was glad he was with the children. Bel too.
Noah stepped away and she followed, her legs unsteady but growing stronger. Across the valley and beyond the library, numerous buildings spread out on a hilltop and though it was far away, the grounds were crowded with people she could just make out. “Is that a city?”
“It’s more of a school. Advanced souls come here to learn how to project their minds, move objects without physical force, and even how to create worlds, depending on where they are on the evolutionary ladder. Like your dreams, you can live and learn a lifetimes’ worth of experience in just a few
moments.”
Her heart lifted. “How much time will pass before we return?”
“I don’t know.” Noah frowned as she staggered. “Slow down. Give yourself time. Here, the mind overrules the body, not the body the mind.”
She put out a foot, then another and another. Her strength returned and the pangs of childbirth eased. Within moments, she kept stride with him. Hope blossomed. If she could regain her health so quickly, perhaps he was right and her time here would be short.
They crossed a small bridge and skirted a waterwheel. A log home resided next to the wheel that sang and clattered as a small stream pushed wooden boxes in a circular pattern. Four steps led up to the front door. A four-paned window looked over the valley, light glancing off beveled glass.
Kate asked, “Who lives here?”
Noah laughed. “Do you remember what I told you about the Olam?”
“Which part?”
“About it being the place of dreams?”
“Yes.”
“This is your dream home.”
“My what?”
“The home you dreamed of while in the flesh. Would you like to go in? Obviously, it’s important to you or it wouldn’t be here.”
Kate turned and headed toward the porch. “Don’t be silly. Someone must live inside.”
“Apparently we will for a time.”
“How do you know it’s mine?” She stopped and looked over her shoulder.
“It has you written all over it.”
“Where? I mean, how?”
“The wood speaks of emotional safety; the water wheel of ongoing love for those far away, but most of all, the garden outside the front door contains roses—your favorite flower. It isn’t hard if you look and really see.”
“But why here?”
Noah shrugged. “You have a need to feel safe right now, hence the house. While you are within, no one can bother you without permission. This is your safety zone. Our safety zone if you will it.”
Kate opened the door and walked inside.
While the outside spoke of security and comfort, the inside allowed her spirit to roam free. Cathedral ceilings, supported by powerful wooden beams suggested space while a colorful rug hanging on one wall added color and richness. Leather couches and chairs hugged a huge rock fireplace and
knotty pine walls sported oil lamps and pictures of mountains shrouded in snow. “How could I create this with just my mind?” She knocked her hand against a wall. “It’s so real.”
“In the Olam every probability is researched and the one most suited to you is created. You’ll need to be careful though. While the house is nice, I don’t expect your nightmares are.”
“Noah, I’m frightened.” She turned to look at him.
“Of what?”
“I don’t belong here. I can’t control my mind like you. What if something happens? What if…”
Noah wrapped his arms around her. “We will find our way through.”
The scent of his skin and the warmth of his body set her emotions reeling—God, how she wanted him. He smiled, one side crooked with humor as if reading her mind and she blushed.
He said, “You want me and I need you. What is wrong with that? Why are humans so afraid to touch?”
Mesmerized by his lips speaking words she longed to hear she wanted to chase her memories aside. Still, one insisted on her remembering. Noah came from the planet Naresh. His people had visited Earth for eons, each time saving several thousand humans to repopulate the planet after the crossing
of Nibiru. Noah had been assigned to her. The first time she saw him she knew she loved him and because of their union, they had changed the universe.
“Is there a bedroom?”
“If you want one.”
She grabbed his hand, leading him upstairs. The first room they came to held a four-poster bed. She glanced from the bed to Noah then threw herself into his arms. They fell onto cotton sheets and scrambled out of their clothes. Warm lips nibbled her shoulders, her breasts, and her belly. Heat rose,
filling her womb with a lushness she hadn’t known possible.
Devoid of Noah’s presence for months, she craved his attention. The touch of his hand set off waves of wanting. The children, on whom her thoughts settled, drifted into dreamland and once again, she gave herself over to the Light and the flame.
RSS Feed
