Paranormal Anthology With a TWIST (6 page)

“So, it’s somewhat like hypnosis, but instead of you describing
your imagery in words, you will be describing it with visualizations?”

He turned me around so we were facing each other.

“Exactly. Of course, it’s a much cooler parlor trick on someone
who doesn’t have telepathic abilities, but I’m hoping you and I can take a trip
together… in my head,” he said with a smirk as he tapped two fingers on his
temple.

I then noticed he was holding a rolled-up blanket under his arm.
Just the idea of the purpose for that blanket made my stomach jump with
interest. He slowly laid out the blanket and guided me to lie down. Jonah then
eased his way down next to me, but faced his body the opposite way so that we
were head to head with our ears almost touching. If we turned our faces toward
each other, my lips would touch his forehead. The thought made me smile and
more naughty thoughts entered my bent brain.

If you start
thinking like that, we’ll never get anywhere
, he chided.

I blushed as I apologized for my wayward thoughts. He turned his
head in my direction and said out loud, “Hey, don’t be sorry. In all honesty,
there is nowhere I would rather be than right here with you, Ella.”

With that little confession, he placed a light little peck on my
nose and turned his face back toward the sky.

Chapter Seven

At first, Jonah started thinking about the sky we were currently
staring at through the canopy of trees. Within the gaps of leaves and branches
was a sky so brilliantly lit with stars, it seemed we were the only two people
in the universe. Out here in the state park, there was very little light
pollution to make the atmosphere murky. The brilliance of millions of stars
littered the black night sky like shining crystals amongst a bed of velvet.

Slowly, things started to change. The night sky still shone with
brilliance as the stars twinkled overhead like crystalline tears, but the trees
and branches no longer obstructed my view. I could feel a chill run through my
body, but Jonah’s warmth next to me made it bearable.

The stars began to multiply and were shining so bright, the sky
actually looked to be a deep midnight blue. I could even see the misty flow of
the Milky Way. Just below the swath of stars was Jupiter, shining radiantly.
The fields of stars were so brilliant and plentiful—I could have sworn we
were floating through space. Nothing else around us but the dazzling stars,
like tiny little holes in the floor of heaven.

“Come on, Ella. Let’s stand up,” Jonah said as he knelt beside me
with an outstretched hand.

As I stood, I somehow knew where we were. Not because Jonah told
me, but because he knew. His thoughts were not separate from mine. Our thoughts
were one, together, up at the top of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. The snow-capped
mountaintop summit is one of the most popular places in the world to gaze at
the stars.

We took several moments to take in what was quite possibly the
most dramatic and stimulating scenery I had ever experienced. Stargazing at the
heavens, I could see from Polaris to the Southern Cross, along with all the
planets and constellations I had learned to identify over the years.

“Isn’t it breathtaking?” Jonah asked, as he held onto me tight and
stared up at the starlit sky.

Looking at him, I could see the reflection of stars in his eyes,
like diamonds dripping from the universe and winking at me through this
beautiful man.

“You’re deviating from my vision, Ella,” he playfully scolded as
he turned to look at me.

“I can’t help it. Now it is my vision too, Jonah.”

He reached out and touched my cheek with a tender wisp of his
fingers. The contact made my skin tingle, as if I were touched by both fire and
ice.

Just as I thought he was going to kiss me, he interrupted my
thoughts and said, “We better head back.”

Disappointment overtook me and our vision suddenly took a nosedive
in the wrong direction. Dark clouds loomed over the star field ominously,
plunging me into darkness.

Ella, don’t focus on
anything else but me. Please, Ella. Clear your mind.

I heard his command but my imagination continued to run wild,
overpowering not only his visions but his words as well. Soon his pleading was
nothing but a muffled string of sounds.

He’s leaving me.
Just like my mother did. Just like my father said he had to do. Just like my
aunt does on a regular basis. Everyone I begin to care for ends up leaving.
It’s inevitable. Like I am some sort of disease everyone has to run away from.

Lost and afraid of the darkness that perished the vision, I began
to run. I ran hard, fast. I ran in hopes of finding him, finding someone,
anyone who would give a shit. I ran to distance myself from the despair brought
on by the darkness.

I could no longer hear Jonah over the whooshing sound of my blood
pumping through my veins. The loud thudding of my heart echoed in my ears. I
felt like I was screaming for Jonah. Screaming for my mom. Or just screaming
for someone to hear. But, I couldn’t hear my own screams. I couldn’t feel my
own voice. It was like I was trapped in a vast space of darkness with no walls
for sound or light to reflect off of.

Ella, go back.

That angel. That voice. That virtuous voice is my mother. But
where did she want me to go back to?

Go back now. You
need to go back. Think of Jonah. He’s there. He needs you. He wants you to go
back.

I tried to talk. To ask where she wanted me to go. But again, no
sound left my mouth.

Stop running. Relax.
Lie back down and think of lying next to Jonah on the blanket by the lake.

Without hesitation, and in desperation to see him again, I did as
she instructed immediately.

Envision the sounds
of the water lapping against the shore. Think of the sounds the insects make as
they sing to their mates. Listen to the sounds of the leaves rustling in the
trees as a light wind blows. Now, remember Jonah. Remember his eyes. Remember
the beautiful crystalline swirled emerald of his irises. Once you feel the heat
of his hands on you, and his breath falling on your face, open your eyes.

Do it now, Ella.
Open your eyes…

“Open your eyes, Ella. Please, look at me!” I heard Jonah’s voice
repeating the now-distant sounds of my mother’s voice.

Finally listening to their commands, I awoke and saw those
stunning green eyes riddled with worry and fear.

“Oh, thank God you’re all right!” Jonah exclaimed as he grabbed
me, lifted me into his arms, and pressed me hard against his solid chest.

I’m so sorry, Jonah.
I shouldn’t have let my imagination take over. I’m sorry…

“Talk out loud for now, Ella. What happened?” he asked, worry
still evident in his face.

“I…” I stammered, suddenly embarrassed.

“Don’t be embarrassed. Just tell me,” he pressed, pulling me away
from his chest and clutching my face as he forced me to look deep into his
eyes.

“I wanted you to kiss me. And when you didn’t, I guess I tried to
take control of the situation. Or… I don’t know. I just felt sad and it all
went dark. It was so dark. I couldn’t see or hear anything.”

“Shit,” he cursed under his breath. “I wanted to kiss you too. But
not then. Not in our minds. I wanted our first kiss to be real.”

“I’m sorry,” I said as I bowed my head in an attempt to hide from
him.

He repositioned us so we were both kneeling in front of each
other. Grabbing my face in both his hands, he lifted my gaze to meet his eyes,
which were now warm with affection.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first laid eyes on you today.
Your beautiful waves of gold, your stunning eyes of amethyst, your luscious
lips of rose, all such an exquisite combination that has totally captured my
mind,” he complimented as he stared at me. Brushing his lips ever so slightly
against mine, he asked, “Will you let me kiss you now, Orella?”

“God, yes!” I exclaimed with the long-felt urge to close the
distance between us. I held back, letting him… no… wanting, needing him to make
the move.

Chapter Eight

He edged closer to me, his lips hovering precariously close to
mine. A sudden gasp of breath was all I could manage before our lips met.

His chest pressed hot and hard against the soft swells of my
breasts. Our tongues met and tangled together. Swimming in the taste and feel
of his warm tongue, I lost all sense of reality. I struggled for air but
couldn’t pull away. He consumed me.

His mouth probed at mine. His teeth nipped and his tongue laved at
my upper lip before he moved to the corner of my mouth, continuing his assault
along the edge of my jaw to the soft spot just below my ear.

Forgotten were my doubts and fears. All that existed in that
moment was this man. His touch, his kiss, his very nature wrapped around me and
filled me with desire and need.

I wrapped my arms around him, gliding my fingers through his
silky, light brown hair at the nape of his neck, pulling him closer. Even the
satiny feel of his hair was doing me in. His strong hands held my back tight
and tangled in my hair. I lulled my head to the side, offering my neck as he
trailed kisses down my jaw. Throwing my head back gently, I willingly offered
him more of me.

His kisses trailed down the lace-trimmed neckline of my tank top.
The wet sensation of his tongue tracing the swell of my breasts made a moan
escape my mouth in a sound of pure ecstasy.

He slowly pecked and licked his way back up to my mouth, devouring
me again.

His strong fingers caressed my cheek and the side of my head as he
began to pull away, my lips already going through Jonah withdrawal and my mind
crying out for it to never end. Our breaths were short and erratic. Our
foreheads pressed together, the tension between us exploding like a
firecracker, sizzling through our bodies.

A dazzling smile spread across his face as he projected a single
word.
Wow
.

We both shared some pretty erotic images through the moments of
our first kiss. There was no way we could, or even wanted to, hide what we
thought of each other. Every sexual thought Jonah had about me was not just
suggestive and spicy, but filled with admiration and respect for me.

Pulling away, he said, “I don’t want this to end, but we should
get Skip and Cora back to the stables before it gets too late.”

I nodded and let him help me to my feet. “Could you make sure that
twisted stable guy stays away from me? His thoughts were nauseating and I
definitely don’t doubt he’s the type of man to act upon them.”

“No worries, Ella. I wouldn’t let him come near you with a
twenty-foot pole. If I could turn him in for being the sick bastard that he is,
I would. That’s one of the curses of this gift, right? Not being able to do
anything about what you know is wrong because there’s no plausible way of
proving it,” Jonah said with a grave tone hardening around his normally gentle
voice. He too noticed how sick the man’s thoughts were and I was thankful to
have his protection.

We rode back in verbal silence; all the while our minds were both
going a mile a minute. I wanted us to spend more time together tonight and my
thoughts sure as hell let him know that.

Hell yeah, we’re
spending more time with each other tonight. I don’t think I could let you out
of my sight right now anyway. I need to be with you right now. I’m worried
you’re too good to be true.

The rest of the evening was near perfection. Since the horseback
riding left us in a rather undesirable hygienic state, we went back to my house
to shower and change. Jonah was prepared with a change of clothes and a movie.

“I loved
Firefly
and
never had the chance to watch
Serenity
.
I’m so happy you brought it!” I exclaimed as I skipped over to the DVD player
and started the movie.

Settling in under Jonah’s arm, we watched
Serenity
and enjoyed each other’s company. He smelled divine.
Masculine man with just a hint of my shampoo mixing with his spices.