Fallen (Chronicles Of The Fallen) Read online

  Jill pulls Lisa into a hug. “I’ll go back inside then. Thank-you for understanding.”

  “There’s nothing to understand,” Lisa informs her, then pulls back. Looking into Jill’s eyes, she can see the excitement of being at a red carpet event. “Go back in and have a good time. Just get your own drinks, okay?”

  “Of course. Call you tomorrow?”

  “You bet.” As Jill turns and heads back inside, Lisa turns to wait for her limo.

  “It’s quite an event in there.”

  She nods but doesn’t pay any attention to who’s talking. The limo pulls up and the driver gets out, walks around the passenger side and opens the door for her. Lisa gets in and the driver closes the door. She looks out the window and the man standing there is the man she saw in the ballroom. She turns her body in an effort to get a better look. As the limo begins to pull away, she sees Samuel come outside. He approaches the stranger on the sidewalk, grasps the man’s shoulder, and turns him around quickly. Samuel begins yelling at him as Lisa’s limo turns the corner, taking her out of sight from what is about to unfold.

  Chapter 4

  Looking out over the horizon, Lisa stands in a meadow. The grass is green all around her. The sun is shining, her skin is warm. She’s barefoot and the grass tickles the bottom of her feet and ankles. As she walks, daisies sporadically sprout up and brush against her bare legs. It’s as if they knew she was coming and grew purposely just to be touched by her. Her pink halter sundress, decorated with white polka dots, blows gently against her body. Her hair dances across her back as she begins to run in the field.

  The daisies grow at a faster rate, so fast that Lisa feels like they may be trying to trip her. She feels scratches and cuts against her skin, and she yelps. Looking down, she notices the daisies have morphed into blood red roses with thorns, except that the rose petals are razor sharp. Gasping, she tries to run again, and the roses slice at her feet and ankles. The atmosphere begins to darken and the sky turns dark gray. The clouds shift and morph into thick sheets of darkness that cover the sky. She runs towards the oak trees on her right for shelter. The harder she runs, the further away they seem to get.

  She comes to an abrupt stop when her feet sink into the ground. She pulls and struggles, but she can’t free herself. She feels something tighten around her ankles as it pulls her deeper into the ground. She tries to scream, but nothing comes out. It pulls against her again, harder, and she’s sunk up to her waist now. Desperately struggling, she falls forward on her palms, her fingers grabbing a hold of the earth. She digs her fingers deep, pulling and trying to kick against whatever is tugging at her body. Tears stream down her cheeks and the sound of a sob escapes, but she cannot scream.

  A warm feeling touches her back and a light shines down on her. Looking up, she sees a hole in the clouds with a bright, golden light shining through. The light shines on the rope-like vines that have wrapped themselves around her legs. Letting out a hiss, they retreat from her body, back into the ground. Panting, Lisa pulls herself free of the earth and hurriedly crawls across the ground. The light grows brighter as it expands, as if hands were pulling away at the clouds, piece by piece. Getting to her feet, Lisa backs up and tumbles against something on the ground. Just as she’s about to fall, she wakes up with a start.

  Panting slightly, she looks at her ceiling, grateful to be lying in bed, she rubs her fists against her eyes. Sitting up, she places her feet on the floor. To humor herself, she looks down. A part of her is relieved to find her feet clean of dirt and without rope burns. Raising her brows, she pulls the sheets up and looks down, breathing a sigh of relief that the sheets are also clean. Standing up, she makes her way towards the bathroom. Stepping inside, thoughts of the man in the mirror come to mind and fear licks at her subconscious. Yesterday seems like forever ago.

  Swallowing hard, she shakes her head, feeling foolish over something that’s probably nothing. “What am I? Twelve?” Facing her fear, she walks into the bathroom to clean up for the day. Wanting to look in the mirror as little as possible, she steps into the shower. The steam begins to fog the mirror…and the man with the red eyes appears. His eyes glow, distorted from the fog. As he stares into the fog-covered mirror, the letters L I S A start to appear, then he’s gone.

  Turning off the water, Lisa steps out and begins to dry off. She flips her hair over and towel dries it. Throwing her hair back, her eyes do a double-take as she sees her name written in the mirror. Screaming, Lisa runs into the bedroom. Her heart is beating so fast that she feels she may collapse. Panting, her hand raises to her chest and she leans against the bed. Swallowing hard, she takes a deep breath and slowly walks towards the bathroom. Anxious, she leans in and peeks at the mirror. Her name is gone. She closes her eyes and sighs with relief. Just then, the phone rings, making Lisa scream again.

  Catching herself as she grabs the wall, she closes her eyes and curses under her breath for being afraid. Looking at her mirror again, she notices the steam has cleared and there’s nothing there, nothing but the reflection of the room. Shaking her head as the phone continues to ring, Lisa heads towards her nightstand to fetch her phone.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~

  Taking the steps down to the mailroom, Lisa notices it’s empty. Sighing, she reaches into her purse, moving her hand around until she finds the familiar ball on her key ring. She recalls asking her mother as a child, “Why do you carry such large purses?” Lisa shakes her head realizing that, in some ways, she’s become her mother. Pulling her keys out, she thumbs through them until she finds her mailbox key. Slipping it into her mailbox, she turns the key, opening the door.

  Flipping through her bills and the junk mail, she hears footsteps coming down the stairs. Looking up, the most beautiful man she’s ever seen walks into the room. Her lips part as sensuous sky blue eyes, radiating like pure diamonds, pierce her mind; his hair is blond and short, but messy; his firm body reminds Lisa of a knight waiting to rescue his lady; his cheeks are chiseled like a finely-carved Michelangelo statue; his nose is perfectly symmetrical; his lips are slightly full, the kind that end in a cute little smirk at the corners. His eyes meet hers and, for a moment, she forgets to breathe. His lips pull into a smile and he nods to her.

  Realizing she’s staring, Lisa quickly looks away. When he turns towards his mailbox, she looks over at him and her eyes move down his body. She tries to make herself look occupied. Fumbling with the mail in her hands, she looks over long enough to catch his gaze again. Her breath catches and she stands there staring. He smiles at her and waves.

  As if something slapped the back of her head, she snaps out of it. Looking away, she feels the blood rush to her face. She closes her mailbox door so hard that it bounces against the wall a few times before it finally closes. Locking it, she shoves the mail and keys into her purse and turns toward the stairs. Keeping her eyes downcast, she begins to walk away and glances over to the man in the room. He looks up at her and their eyes meet. She smiles at him coyly, then lowers her gaze. She takes the first step on the stairs and trips. Cursing herself for being such a klutz, she feels every ounce of blood in her body make a race for her face.

  “I don’t know about you, but I hate it when the floor reaches up and snaps at my foot.”

  His voice is dark with a hint of sex appeal. He’s alluring, but she finds him friendly. She can't help but feel a piece of herself melt. Lisa grips the railing to balance herself as his voice floods through her body. Looking back over her shoulder, she nods her head a few times. “I totally meant to do that,” she retorts.

  “Then I give you ten points for the safe landing.” He smiles as their eyes meet again. Her knees turn weak and she grips the railing tighter. “I’m Alex Carter. I just moved in last week.” He extends his hand.

  She slips her hand into his. His hands are large and he has long fingers, his nails are clean and manicured, and she notices that he doesn't wear a wedding band. His shake is firm, but he doesn’t grip her hand too hard. Thoughts of his hands o
n her body cross her mind as she smiles up at him. Looking into his eyes, she finds herself unable to speak.

  Blinking a few times, she finally pulls herself back. “I’m Lisa. I live here…obviously. I just got my mail.” She continues to shake his hand, staring into his eyes.

  Catching herself, she stops and reluctantly pulls her hand away. Shifting her weight, she glances down, her eyes looking at his shoes. Her eyes gradually move up his long legs. His waist is solid and she imagines the six-pack abs underneath his shirt. Blinking, she moves her eyes up to his broad chest. She imagines him on a beach without a shirt, while speckles of sand latch onto his bare chest after he has rolled around in the sand with her. Her gaze finally lands on his eyes. Realizing she's just openly checked him out, she watches him raise a single brow. He chuckles and his smile grows. Lisa’s face glows a bright shade of pink.

  “Right,” he smiles up at her. He glances up the stairs, then back to her. He grins. “Shall we?”

  “Oh, right! Of course.”

  Wanting to mentally kick herself for gawking at him openly like that, she turns and walks up the steps, allowing her ass to sway just a little more than normal. Hearing him clear his throat, she smiles. “Where did you move from, Alex? Have you been in Manhattan long?” Glancing back at him, his eyes look up to hers. They’re the kind that you can look into and get lost; the kind you can relate to that are truly windows to the soul.

  “I’ve been in Manhattan a while, but moved to this building just recently. I like the area so far.”

  Walking her up to the second floor, Alex leans against the pewter-painted walls and watches her. Modern art paintings bought by the building’s owner adds life to the hallway. He looks over her face, her body, allowing her to be embedded permanently into his memory. She turns and catches Alex watching her. Feeling a faint blush touch her cheeks, she smiles as she unlocks her door. Looking back at him, she feels shyness overcome her. "I plan on doing some running around today. Since you're new to the area, I'll be happy to show you around."

  She turns and looks up at him. She sees something in his eyes. Kindness? Longing? She finds him irresistible and completely seductive. He looks down at the floor. He shrugs softly, then looks back up to Lisa. "I'd like that a lot. I don't want to impose, though."

  He smiles and as his lips pull in at the corners, they look delicious. His voice sounds slightly familiar, but she can't seem to place it. It has a soft and soothing tone; deep, but not rough; seductive, but not sinister.

  "You wouldn’t be imposing. I invited you." She smiles and gives him a slight nod. "I would enjoy your company." Lisa's eyes focus on Alex's, as she feels her heart beat a little faster. "Give me a moment. Let me put down my mail.” She pushes her door open, and looks back at Alex with a smile. “Don’t go anywhere."

  "I won't, I promise." He winks at Lisa and leans against the wall just outside her door.

  She smiles and slips inside her condo, closing the door behind her. Hurriedly, she tosses the mail on the entry table, then quickly makes her way towards her bedroom. Catching a glimpse of herself in the mirror, she gives herself a good look. "If I change clothes, I'll look like I'm trying to impress him. If I go like this, I look like I'm slumming. Shit!"

  Waving herself off in the mirror, she pulls her shirt over her head and tosses it on the bed. Kicking off her black sandals, she unbuttons her pants and pushes them off her body, tossing them next to her shirt. Moving quickly to her closet, she rushes through the rack of clothing and pulls out a red halter top and a black skirt. Pulling on the top, she adjusts her breasts for optimal viewing, then pulls on the skirt. The hem sits a few inches above her knees, giving her legs nice exposure. Walking back into the bedroom, she slips her feet back into the sandals. Grabbing a clip from her dresser, she steps in front of her mirror and pulls her hair into a twist and clips it. Pulling a few stray hairs around her face, she nods.

  Grabbing her purse, she slings it over her shoulder and grabs her keys. She takes a deep breath, then opens the door. She looks over at Alex, who pushes off the wall. He looks her over and smiles. "You changed." Lisa smiles and nods, seeing the look of approval in Alex's gaze.

  She looks down and the few strands of her hair move around her face. "I didn’t want to wear what I had on in public. I hope that's okay?" She looks up at Alex, her gaze seductive. Her lips pull into a smile as she reaches up, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

  "It's perfect." Alex reaches up and shifts a strand from her eyes. "Where shall we go first?" Lisa turns to lock her door. She feels Alex watching her. She purses her lips to refrain from giggling or laughing out loud. Pulling her keys from the lock, she opens her purse and lets the keys drop inside.

  Lisa considers Alex's question, bringing a finger up to tap her chin. He smiles down at her and lets out a soft chuckle. Lisa looks up at him, tilting her head. "What's so funny?"

  Alex shakes his head in amusement. "Nothing. You're adorable when you think." She blushes and looks away for a moment.

  Bringing her hands in front of her, she intertwines her fingers. "Well, have you ever visited Ground Zero?" She looks up at Alex and shrugs. "Not many actually visit it when they’re not from here. Reconstruction is already underway, but you get a sense of everything when you actually go down there." Lisa looks down as she takes a few steps towards the stairs. "It's a really beautiful site with all that has been done to the area. We can go up into one of the buildings and look down on the site." She looks up at Alex while they walk down the hallway.

  "Sounds good to me." As they reach the door to the stairwell, he reaches for the door and pulls it open. He motions for Lisa to enter. "Ladies first." She looks up at him and smiles softly, then begins taking the steps down, Alex close behind her. He pushes on the bar to open the door, holding it for her.

  "Such a gentleman.” She smiles at him.

  She passes through the door into the open lobby of the building. Approaching the main entrance, the automatic doors slide open and the two walk outside. As the sunlight kisses against Lisa's exposed skin and warming her up, Alex steps out next to her and the doors slide shut. Looking up at him, she notices hints of strawberry-blond glistening in his hair, and his tan skin reflects the light. Pulling her sunglasses from her purse, she slides them onto her face. "Would you like to take one of our cars or would you like to ride the transit?"

  "I think taking the train would be fun. Then we can take our time walking around the city without worrying about parking fees." He looks down at Lisa and smiles. "Plus, you’ll be forced to hang with me all day."

  Lisa looks up and laughs. "I don't think that’ll be so hard. I like your company…so far." He grins and they make their way towards the train station.

  She looks away as she feels her cheeks warm. Thankful for the warm sun, she knows the rays might mask her blush. She steals a glance at him again. He has to be one of the most beautiful creatures she's ever seen. His skin shines with a faint sheen of perspiration. She imagines what he would look like without his shirt…the sweat beading on his chest, or water running down his naked body in the shower. She smiles to herself as she looks away from him, trying to keep herself out of trouble.

  Hailing down a cab, they climb inside and begin their trip towards Ground Zero. The walk to the train station is about eight blocks away from their condo complex, and the heat from the direct sun is brutal without shade from trees or at least the buildings in Manhattan. Seeing the station a distance away, the buildings windows shine as the sun reflects off the glass. Alex turns to Lisa. "So when's the last time you did this? You know, take a trip down to the city with a stranger you just met?"

  Lisa looks at him, hearing the teasing in his voice. She finds herself struggling a little with his voice, the familiarity of it, but she can't put her finger on why. "Umm, not with random guys, no." She laughs softly. "I try not to make it a habit to pick up strangers in the mail room."

  Alex chuckles. "What was different with me?" He looks at her, appreciating her
sense of humor.

  "You didn't laugh at me when I tripped and you gave me a ten on my performance." She shrugs. "It was cute." She grins at him.

  "If you had fallen on your face, though, I would have rushed to make sure you were okay. Once I knew you were, I’d have had no qualms about pointing at you and laughing, then giving you a ten for the performance."

  Lisa gasps and her head snaps to Alex. "You wouldn't!" She laughs and the tension of almost falling on her face, then her obviously checking him out fades. He gives her a comfortable feeling, almost like she’s known him all her life.

  "Oh, I so would!" He chuckles as they reach the train station.

  Opening the door, Alex steps out, then leans in and pays the driver. Taking Lisa’s hand, he helps her out, closing the door behind her. The train station is surrounded by many different makes and models of cars, trucks, and SUV's. People are coming and going…Wall Street traders, street vendors, families with children, and the occasional tourist.

  "Well, at least I know where I stand with you then." Shaking her head, she reaches into her purse and pulls out her wallet.

  "Put it away. It's my treat today. You're showing me around town. At least allow me to cover the expenses."

  Lisa looks up to Alex, smiling. "Okay.” Placing her wallet back into her purse, they approach the automatic ticket dispenser. Alex pulls out his wallet and fishes out a twenty dollar bill. Feeding the money into the dispenser, he purchases two tickets. Turning to face Lisa, he hands her a ticket and their fingers brush against one another. "Thank-you Alex. How many rides do we plan on taking today?"

  Smiling down at her, he says, "Who knows? We can play it by ear and see where we end up…and you're welcome, Lisa."

  He looks around. The station walls are a golden brick with hanging banners from the Museum of Natural History; the ceiling is painted a mossy green with windows letting in the natural sunlight; an American flag hangs in the center of the ceiling, a matching one hanging on the wall; screens displaying the train arrivals/departures line the walls, and the information contained within those screens updating every few seconds; escalators carry passengers to and from their stops; ticket booths are set up for a more personal experience, as well as automated booths for the more experienced traveler. Alex watches a few servicemen walking with their luggage, and children stop and wave; a few others stop them to thank them for their service. Alex nods to one of them and the Marine nods back. Nearby, a hopeful musician plays his drums.