An interview with Reece, Levi and Harrison.
As I sit in this exquisite palace across from the three main
characters in the Ancient Guardians Series, I struggle to maintain my focus.
Fortunately, after reading the first two books in the series, I jotted
questions down prior to entering the fascinating realm of Pemdas. The author
does an excellent job of describing the glowing foliage at night, the
magnificent palace; but even at that, I learned quickly that I wasn’t prepared
for the beauty this world possessed.
I took my seat on an ivory, Victorian style chaise and was
immediately offered a hot cup of tea from the palace servants. WOW, the
explosive flavors of this tea are indescribable and definitely a flavor I will
always crave long after this visit to Pasidian Palace.
As I sit, fidgeting with my papers, I hear a soft laugh
coming from the chair to my right. Harrison. I glanced at him and instantly his
piercing blue eyes, flawless features having me blushing like some school girl.
After learning of his personality, I knew immediately he was enjoying my
embarrassment. He draped an arm over the back of his chair, crossed a leg and
nodded toward my papers.
“It appears that a glass of wine might help clear your
thoughts,” he started with a knowing grin, “The tea seems to have you a bit
frazzled.”
I snapped out of my daze and before I could say anything,
Reece spoke up, “Don’t listen to him. I was an absolute mess when I first was
taken into this dimension,” she smiled reassuringly at me, “It takes a while to
absorb everything.”
My thoughts were clear now, and my first question was for
Reece. I smiled in return, “Thank you. All of this is way too much to take in
and I’ve even read everything you’ve gone through. Now, I personally wonder how
you managed it all. I wondered how you started to lose all thoughts of your
life on Earth and pursuing your medical career in trade for a life in this
world. It’s somewhat clear now. Was it easy for you to adjust?”
Reece smiled, “Not necessarily,” she squeezed Levi’s hand,
which he immediately responded with a loving smile in return. “I was a wreck,
at first I’m dealing with some type of paranormal version of my Dad visiting
me, and then these guys,” she arched an eyebrow at Harrison, “Start following
me everywhere. The next thing I know, I’m flying down a road with Harrison
driving like a maniac and then we’re in Pemdas. I needed answers and it was so
frustrating that it took them so long to give them to me.” She glanced up at
Levi, “I understand why they did now, I definitely would have never made it to
the palace after the Emperor Navarre told me about my genealogy.” She glanced
out of the window, “I nearly broke down into hysterics—”
“Ha!” Harrison coughed out a laugh, “Your expression showed
nothing but a pale face and it was obvious you were going to run screaming out
of the room at any moment.”
I softly laughed as Reece returned Harrison’s humored
expression with a simple roll of her eyes. “I’m glad I could amuse you.
Fortunately, Levi offered me to get out for fresh air before I could go
screaming through the palace.”
I brought my attention to Levi, he had been extremely formal
and quiet throughout most of the exchange. I will admit, it is difficult to be
in his presence. As Reece explains numerous times, his vivid blue eyes,
highlighted by his dark hair and impeccable features, will having your heart
beating a little rapidly too. Trying to be respectful and not gawk over this
man that is in love with Reece and she with him, I simply grin and not allow
his piercing eyes to hold mine hostage.
“It was clear that you had feelings for Reece at the time
you guarded her on Earth, how did it feel to watch her go through the many
emotions she did from the moment she encountered you in the airport, until you
brought her safely into your world.”
Levi’s expression grew somber, “It was not an easy task for
me. After the events on the airplane and nearly losing Reece to the Ciatron due
to that occurrence, our commander, Samuel, ordered us to take her to Pemdas
then.”
Reece glanced up at Levi as if this were news to her.
He went on, “I argued with Samuel, as much as I desperately
wanted her in our world, not only for her protection, but,” his cheeks slightly
colored, “for selfish reasons as well. I longed for the day that I could interact
with Reece, to know her better and for her to have an opportunity to know me.
However, those were mainly selfish reasons, I knew that if we took Reece from
Earth and into our dimension, her entire life would change and I greatly feared
the effects that would have on her. This is why I demanded that Samuel give us
more time to guard her without taking her then. There were no other options
after the Ciatron became more interested in her and were planning at all costs
to take her into their world in order to see if she was the descendant of Paul
Xylander. That’s when we had no other option.”
“How did I not see any of this?” Harrison blurted out in
annoyance. “Your feelings for Reece?”
“It could possibly be the fact that your eyes and attention
are always drawn to other women in any room we’re in.” Levi retorted with a
laugh.
Harrison shrugged, “True.”
We all laughed in unison.
“Some believe all of this to be too unrealistic, too perfect
and the way Reece accepted these changes in her life unbelievable. Some have
criticized you for ‘gushing’ over Levi and a Medical student with a mature
mindset would not react in such a way.”
This forced a laugh out of Harrison. A stern yet, concerned
gaze from Levi and a look of confusion playing on Reece’s face. Instantly, her
features softened. “Let them think what they want, everyone is entitled to
their own opinion. Yes, I was determined to be a Pediatrician, I had what I
believed the perfect life mapped out for myself. It wasn’t until I was brought
here that I realized I was using all of this to fill a void of something I didn’t
have and desperately needed,” she glanced up at Levi, “Levi.” She simply
stated. “Believe me, I had no plans to fall in love with him, but when I
started to see everything so differently, it was because of him. It was like
everything faded away, I hardly felt worried over trivial things, I started to
feel complete every time I was with him. I soon realized that I didn’t want to
go back to the high paced life on Earth. I wanted to be here. It’s hard to
explain. But, my life wasn’t just turned upside down when I was brought to
Pemdas. It started when I lost my dad. When I lost him, I had to do something.
I was young and was at a make or break point in my life. So I chose the most
demanding profession that I could conquer, hoping that it was the answer to
grieving my dad’s death.”
“I am so sorry for your loss.”
Reece smiled in response, “Thank you, I appreciate that. I
may have lost my father, but in some strange way, I gained the world in return
by having Levi’s love.
“Gained the world of Pemdas that is,” Harrison spoke out,
“Let’s weigh this for a moment, Reece having a future as a Doctor or Reece
having a future as the next Empress of an entire world?”
“Harrison.” Reece sighed.
“Think about it? How could anyone question that?”
It was getting late and I knew the servants would announce
dinner soon. I saved one last question for Harrison, “It is no secret that you
are on a social media site on Earth.”
“What?” Reece said with a laugh.
Harrison sat smugly in his chair, “Yes, it is quite
entertaining.”
“Harrison, I will never understand you.” Levi said.
Reece sat up, “What site?”
Harrison crossed his arms, “Facebook.”
Levi rolled his eyes as Reece covered her mouth with both
her hands, “Please tell me you aren’t posting pictures of us on it?” she said,
still laughing.
“You will never know and not to worry, nothing that I post
will put you or anyone at risk. Although it does stress our author out some.”
He laughed.
Reece glanced up at Levi’s annoyed expression, “The next
thing we know he’ll be on a dating site.” She said in a low voice, forcing Levi
to laugh out loud.
“Nice one, Reece.” Harrison returned. “However, it is quite
obvious I have no need for such things.”
The room grew silent and I could tell there was something
more then they were telling me about Harrison. Before I could ask, a servant
entered the room and announced dinner.
We all stood at once. Levi instantly crossed the room, and
thanked me for my time. Reece offered an endearing hug, thanking me as well.
Harrison sauntered across the room and offered his arm, “You must be famished,
allow me you to escort you to dinner before your return to Earth.
And that was it. Reece helped me get through dinner without
making a fool of myself and before I knew it, I was on my way back to Earth. I
have to admit, I wish I never had left. Yes, I want to live in Pemdas and I am
so thankful that S.L. Morgan gave me this opportunity to visit Pemdas. I know
she would have interviewed the characters herself, but, she is buried in edits
with her third book and I was the closest one she could reach out to.
It was definitely a privilege.
Rena Blanchard
Senior Book Interviewer
The Legacy of the Key
Ancient Guardians Series
Book One
S. L. Morgan
Genre: Fiction: Fantasy Romance
Historical, Science Fiction
Publisher: Pasidian Press
Date of Publication: December 21, 2012
ISBN-10: 0615736742
ISBN-13: 978-0615736747
ASIN: B00ARK6SUO
Number of pages: 372
Word Count: 101,102
Book Description:
No matter where you are, facing your reality with passion and purpose will always lead down the path you were intended to go.
While Reece Bryant is making her way through this world on her own, she is suddenly confronted with the truth of her existence, and the reality of her future. It is when she encounters two alluring and mysterious men, that a series of extraordinary events takes place, putting Reece’s life in grave danger. With her life in the balance, Reece must blindly trust the two mysterious strangers; and when she does, she is brought into an enchanting world that is beyond her logical comprehension.
This captivating land reveals new worlds and new dimensions to which her existence is paramount. But it is once she falls in love with the stunning Levi Oxley that everything will change, and Reece’s life will be in more danger than ever before.
Forced to return to Earth and face a Council of Worlds, Reece discovers there is more to this enchanting dimension than she could have ever imagined.
At a moment’s notice, even thru the fog of our denial, our journey can become crystal clear. And within the revelation, once our fear subsides, we can find contentment and purpose if we focus on the things that matter most. Trust—Courage—Love
Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/b2DdKCL3Bjs
Available at Amazon Kobo iTunes BN Smashwords
The Legacy of the Key is the first installment of S.L. Morgan’s new fantasy romance novel. The romance in this novel is perfectly suitable for young adults, teens ages 13 and up.
Prepare to journey into a captivating new world…that will remove you from reality as you know it! A 2014 Global ebook Gold award winning book and a 2014 Silver award medalist in the Reader's favorite international awards.
Praise for The Legacy of the Key:
5-STARS Ancient Guardians: The Legacy of the Key by S.L. Morgan is an enchanting novel with a flawless plot, breathtakingly vivid scenery and characters that so completely come to life and are relatable. The story took me from this world and transported me to a different time and to a place so beautiful and magnificent I sometimes needed a moment to pause and just take in the breathtaking scenery described therein. ~Reader's Favorite Review by Faridah Nassozi
5- STARS "There are two words to describe this book: ABSOLUTELY AMAZING. It is very difficult to put into words how much I enjoyed it. The concept of the different worlds and dimensions among us was unique and very intriguing; it immediately had me hooked.". ~Reader's Favorite Review by Cheryl Schopen
5-Stars "The book is fast paced and will take readers to another dimension altogether. It is a great roller coaster ride with fantasy, science fiction, mystery, romance, action, suspense and a new dimension all woven together.
Chapter One:
The fall semester of Temple
University’s medical program in Philadelphia had finally come to an end. Reece
handed in her last final, and walked out toward the area where her friend Jack
was meeting her to drive her to the airport. She had been dreading this day,
not because of the finals, but because she was flying back to San Diego.
Halfway through the semester, Reece had been notified that she would have to
return home to settle the last of her father’s estate.
Two years ago, the summer after
she graduated from college, her father died of a massive heart attack. He left
her alone; with no one she could call family.
She had planned to stay in San
Diego to pursue her medical degree, but it took nearly everything she had to
stay and cope with her father’s death. In the end, she could no longer bear to
live in the city that reminded her so much of him, and their years together.
After his passing she fled to Philadelphia
in search of a new life. She had settled in quickly, making a couple of friends
who helped to take her mind off of what she had left behind. Her grades were
excellent, and she could not have been more proud of how well she was doing on
her own. She felt strong.
Now, she had to return and face
again the reality of it all again; the painful memories and feelings of
weakness that she had so successfully suppressed.
She was determined not to let
this trip tear down the strength she had found. She refused to let the past
haunt her anymore. The trip would not be a long one; she would quickly handle
the paperwork regarding the sale of her father’s home, and then return to her
life in Philadelphia.
“Hey, Reece,” a familiar voice
called out, pulling her out of her distant thoughts. “You’re out early; I was
just going to wait out at the benches for you.”
Jack was getting ready to start
his internship. He was an even tempered guy, and enjoyable to be around. They
had developed a quick and entirely platonic rapport from the moment they met,
and he always made her feel comfortable.
She smiled. “Thanks for taking me
to the airport, Jack. I hated to call you so late, but Lori’s cancellation was
kind of last-minute.” Lori and Reece had shared an apartment since Reece’s
arrival in Philadelphia.
Jack placed his arm around her
shoulders as they started walking. “So, when is Lori going to admit she’s in
love with me, and get rid of that geek, Mitch?”
Reece chuckled. “When you get
over yourself, and you’ve shown you can stay in a relationship longer than one
night.”
He stared back at her. “Figures.
Why do women always wait for Prince Charming to come along? I could be Prince
Charming if that’s what it takes.” he laughed at himself.
“Jack, I’m sure you could. I think
many of your girlfriends thought you were!”
“Well, whatever dork Lori wants
to date is her problem, not mine. I’ve never been the type to attract the
brunettes anyway. It’s always the blonde’s that seem to be attracted to men
like me.”
Reece stared at him
incredulously, “You’re unbelievable.”
He laughed. “Actually, come to
think of it, there is one blonde haired, blue eyed girl that hasn’t fallen for
my charming sensibilities…” He looked at her and smirked.
Reece shook her head, “And that’s
not going to change, either! I don’t get it.”
“Get what?”
“The fact that you have to
stereotype every female you come across. How shallow can one person be? You’re
actually judging your relationships with women by the color of their hair? It’s
stupid, and it’s half the reason you can’t stay in a relationship longer than
one day.”
Jack laughed, “Awe, Reece, that’s
what I love about you, always trying to keep me in line. And you know what?
You’re probably right.”
“I’m always right.”
Jack dropped her off at the
airport about two hours before her flight. Airports, ugh. If there was any
place that she dreaded, it was an airport full of rush and chaos. On this trip,
she had enough to contend with without additional stress.
She gritted her teeth through the
security inspection, then shouldered her backpack and made the rounds of the
shops, hoping to keep her mind occupied. She studied what seemed to be every
souvenir in the terminal, then headed over to her departure gate and found a
seat. She had at least half an hour before boarding.
As she sat back, she noticed two
young business men walking toward the gate. They were dressed immaculately, in
perfectly tailored suits that gave off an air of absolute supremacy. It wasn’t
their magnetic and powerful presence that had her studying both of them, but
there was something strangely familiar about them. Even so, she couldn’t place
their faces from any class she’d been in. Well, it’s obvious they wouldn’t be
in college, Reece, they’re dressed like they own the airline company. Who are
these guys? It was bothering her that she couldn’t identify where she had seen
them before.
One was dark-haired. Tall, dark,
and very handsome, she thought with an internal chuckle. He was probably in his
late twenties, but had an intimidating presence. He walked as though he
commanded the entire gate, perhaps the entire airport. She frowned, trying to
figure out whether it was the way he held himself, or the odd sense that she
knew him, that caught her attention.
The blond man beside him was
about the same height, and equally stunning, but less intimidating. The
good-humored expression on his face set him apart from the other man. He looked
as though he was recalling the punch line to a good joke. The men walked
through the waiting area and stood near the large windows, away from the crowd.
Without warning, the dark-haired
man looked away from his friend and stared directly at Reece. Their eyes
locked, and she startled, but tried to continue gazing casually around the
room. Her eyes didn’t see what was in front of them, though; she was wondering
why these men seemed familiar.
She could not resist another
glance back toward the window. The blond man was already staring directly at
her. Busted. Perhaps she hadn’t been as discreet as she’d thought. He smiled
vibrantly at her to confirm it.
Oh, well... She gave him back a
smile, and looked past him at the sky outside. Thankfully, boarding was now
announced. Reece stood and turned away.
Knowing this would be a long
flight, Reece had opted to fly first class. She was one of the first to board,
and found a comfortable aisle seat.
Two uniformed pilots sat in the
front row. Perhaps they were going to take over the flight after Chicago, where
more passengers would board. As soon as the airplane moved away from the gate,
Reece rested her head against the leather headrest, closed her eyes, and
allowed herself to drift off. It seemed now that the long week was finally
catching up with her.
She woke enough to refuse when an
attendant approached her to ask about refreshments. As she laid her head back,
the two pilots in the front row stood and walked toward the cockpit. That’s a
bit out of the ordinary, Reece thought sleepily.
She heard a step and looked
backward down the aisle. Through the curtain that separated first class from
coach, stepped the two young men she had seen earlier. They didn’t stop, but
walked toward the cockpit. Now, she was a little concerned. Both men looked
extremely somber. She noticed their blue eyes. Very blue eyes. They were
almost—they were glowing, like sapphires reflecting the light.
Reece looked around at her fellow
passengers, but no one seemed to notice anything strange. In fact, no one
seemed to notice anything at all; they all stared straight ahead like
mannequins, and the flight attendants were nowhere to be seen.
Now the two men were in the
cockpit. Must be crowded with six in there, Reece thought nervously. Her heart
beat faster.
The aircraft then went through an
odd array of motions. It banked hard in one direction, and then immediately
dropped. Reece’s stomach reacted instantly, and she gripped the armrests so
tightly there should have been finger dents in them. The plane was climbing
now. She looked for some comfort from the other passengers, but found none.
Everyone in the cabin was expressionless and stoic, staring blankly ahead.
Reece began to wonder if it could all be some strange dream.
Just then, the plane lunged
sharply forward; it felt as though they were in a nose dive, speeding back down
toward the Earth. Suddenly, a flash of light lit up the cabin, blinding Reece.
While she was still dazed, another blinding flash lit the cabin.
After the two bright flashes, the
airplane started to level out. The lights in the cabin flickered. It seemed the
bright lights were the cause of the electrical malfunctions in the aircraft. Or
was it the other way around? At any rate, they were not heading downward
anymore.
Reece began to calm down. The
plane flew smoothly without any more abrupt movements. Quiet conversations
sounded around her, and she felt as though she were waking from a trance. The
cabin was dark, and the people around her were talking to each other with
concern.
A voice came over the intercom.
“Good evening, passengers. This is your pilot speaking. It seems that our
aircraft is experiencing various forms of technical difficulty. There is no
need for any undue concern, but to err on the side of caution, we have
requested, and have been granted, clearance to return to Philadelphia. We are
en route there now. I ask that all passengers remain seated until we return the
aircraft safely to the ground.”
Reece remained quiet; she did not
know what to believe. Shortly after the pilot made his announcement, the
airplane began its descent. Once safely on the ground again and the airplane
slowly returned to an open gate, the pilot came over the intercom again,
thanking the passengers for their cooperation and expressing his apologies for
the inconvenience. Reece sat in shock and wondered if it had been a dream.
Dream or reality, I want off this plane, she thought, and she grabbed her
backpack.
As she followed the group back
into the airport, she noticed the two young men again, walking ahead of her.
The blond man was acting as if he had just got off a plane in Las Vegas after a
winning streak, but the dark one seemed uninterested in his friend’s
enthusiasm. They stopped, both of them staring down at some object in the dark
one’s hand. Reece looked at them speculatively. They raised their heads
simultaneously, looking directly at her. She could not pull her questioning
eyes away from them, wondering if they were the cause of the airplane’s
malfunctioning. They returned her gaze, seemingly as interested in her as she
was in them. Everything in her wanted to stop and question them, but for fear
of making a fool of herself, she turned her attention back to the crowd in
front of her and continued to walk past them. Before turning the corner, she
turned back one last time. They were both staring intently at her. The dark
blond smiled at her warmly. There seemed to be more behind his smile than just
politeness.
After Reece managed to secure
another flight out for the next morning, she called Jack for a ride home from
the airport. She hated to bother him again, and should probably just take a cab
ride home, but she’d rather not be in the presence of strangers after what she
had just experienced. Jack had wasted no time returning to pick her up, and she
was grateful for it. The distress of the strange flight started to diminish as
soon as she was away from the airport.
Jack dropped Reece of at her
apartment. “Marti’s later?” he asked.
It was their usual coffee shop.
“Sure.” she smiled at him. “Lori will bring Mitch; think you can stand it?”
He clasped his hands
dramatically. “Ah, my broken heart!” Then he reverted to his normal voice.
“Pick you up at six, okay?”
Reece dumped her backpack at the
door, plopped down onto the sofa, and turned on the television. She dropped her
purse to the floor next to her and grabbed the remote. Flipping through the
channels, she found a sea life documentary to watch. Graceful dolphins,
swimming, swimming... Suddenly, she felt as if it were three in the morning;
she could hardly keep her eyes open. She let her body relax and closed her
eyes.
She woke abruptly from a dreamless
sleep, thinking she’d heard the door. She sat up, looking toward the door,
expecting Lori to enter. There was no sign of Lori, and no sign the door had
been opened. The deadbolt remained in the locked position.
Old building noises. She sank
back into the sofa, pulling over her the blanket they kept draped over the
back. She leaned over to grab the remote control from the coffee table.
Something moved. In the kitchen?
It was just a glimpse, out of the corner of her eye. She sat back, taking slow
breaths. Probably nothing. She stared into the kitchen—open to the living room,
with a counter between.
Phone. She picked up her purse
and fumbled around for her cell phone. As she retrieved the phone, she looked
up and was stupefied by the figure standing in front of her. She tried to blink
it away, but it remained; solid, unmoving.
“Dad?” she whispered.
She stared in amazement at the
image of her father, standing in her living room. He didn’t move, or respond to
her. He stood there, expressionless, as if he was studying her.
Reece felt as if a heavy weight
had landed on her, instantly paralyzing her. She could not do anything except
stare at him. He was wearing the clothes he had worn the last time she saw him;
dark brown slacks, and a crisp, blue shirt.
Suddenly, he smiled his
heartwarming smile.
Reece’s eyes filled with tears,
and the image blurred. She’d forgotten how much she missed him. She felt a
flood of repressed emotions far greater than those she’d feared her trip to San
Diego would evoke. His face, his presence, and his smile brought back vivid
memories of him and their life together; memories she had tried to set aside so
she could function without him. These were the memories that made her wonder
how she could go through the rest of her life alone.
Frightened by the realization
that her deceased father standing in front of her, she squeezed her eyes shut,
hoping this image would go away. Strangely, the weight lifted slowly, and she
regained control of her large muscles. When she dared to open her eyes, he was
gone. She felt both frustration and relief. Was her perpetual anxiety over her
impending trip causing hallucinations now? She needed to get hold of herself.
Slam! Reece leaped off the sofa
and turned back toward the door.
“Geez, girl! What are you doing
here?” It was Lori, jumping back into the doorway and dropping her Keys.
With her hand over her heart,
Lori stared at Reece in shock. Reece was the mirror image of Lori, with her
hand covering her chest. She took a deep calming breath. “Sorry Lori, my flight
was pushed out until tomorrow. The plane had issues or something.”
Lori let out a sigh of relief and
bent over to pick up her Keys. “Well, that’s…” she started.
“Never a good thing, I know.”
Reece finished her sentence.
An hour later, they were all in
Jack’s car. He drove the car as if he were in a high-speed chase.
“Slow it down, Jack,” Reece said.
“I knew I should have taken own my car,” she muttered to Lori who sat next to
her in the back seat.
Lori smiled and leaned forward to
put a hand on Mitch’s shoulder. “You’re driving next time, honey.”
“Hey,” said Mitch, “I’m actually
enjoying myself. It’s not every day I get to jump into a classic ‘67 Camaro SS.
I’m curious, how fast can these cars really go?”
A large smile stretched across Jack’s
face. “I can fix your curiosity if you’d like.”
Lori exhaled ostentatiously. “Why
don’t you do that after you drop us off, Jack? Then you both can go kill
yourselves together. What is it with men and cars?”
Reece shrugged her shoulders.
More talk about cars would just encourage Jack to do something stupid. “Hey,
what do you guys think about going to dinner instead of coffee? I’m not really
in the mood to sit in a coffee shop right now. School’s out and we’ve spent
enough time there studying for finals.”
Lori smiled. “Good call, Reece.
I’m hungry, anyways. Let’s go to that new Italian restaurant. It’s supposed to
be nice.”
Jack laughed and responded.
“Whatever you women want, I’m just the driver.” he looked toward Mitch. “You
cool with that, Mitch? Oh wait, never mind, you’re always cool with anything.”
He tried to make eye contact with
Reece in the rearview mirror. Reece ignored him pointedly, looking out the
window.
They were stopped at a red light,
a block south of the restaurant. Pedestrians hurried past on the sidewalks. Two
of them—What?—two of them were the young men who’d been on the airplane.
Reece’s heart raced.
“Reece? What are you staring at?”
Lori had grabbed her arm.
“What? Um, well, there was… it’s
just...” She turned back to look out the window, and the two men were gone.
“Just what, Reece?” Lori said,
trying to look past Reece out the window.
“Oh, nothing. My mind was
somewhere else. I’m sorry, what were you saying?”
Lori laughed. “Girl, you need a
cocktail or something! You’re starting to act delirious.” she laughed, but her
eyes showed concern.
“I just need to eat something;
it’s been a long day.”
The restaurant’s parking lot was
full. “Well, of course, this place is packed! Hopefully, the garage we passed
has a spot available.” Jack huffed. “You girls need to learn how to cook dinner
or something. By the time it takes me to park, you both could have cooked and
served us men a nice, healthy meal.” He spun the car back down an alley to find
more parking.
“We ‘girls’?” said Lori. “You
‘men’? Learn to cook yourself, Jack! Until then, just park the car and quit
complaining, or you can wait with it until we finish.” They pulled into an
extra parking area and found a spot. Before he was out of his car, Jack noticed
another car nearby. “Are you serious!” he said, walking up to it. “Check out
this car, guys. It’s like some prototype or something.”
Mitch walked over to the car
while Reece and Lori stared at them both, annoyed by the delay.
Lori called out to them, “It’s
nice, Jack. What is it, a Porsche or something?”
Jack laughed as he walked the
length of the sporty black car. “It’s not a Porsche. I’ve never read, or heard,
about anything like this! I wonder whose it is; this car has to be worth well
over a hundred thousand bucks!”
As he walked closer, the car
emitted a warning sound. Reece crossed her arms. “Jack, can we GO? You are most
likely about to meet the owner; I’m sure it has some kind of pager. I’m ready
to eat.”
Jack’s head snapped up, and he
walked away from the car; turning back over and over, as if he wanted to check
it out one more time.
Once inside the restaurant, they
were seated in a secluded, candle-lit nook behind a red brick archway. While
waiting for their orders, they engaged in conversation about their challenging
finals earlier that day. As usual, Jack entertained the group with his natural
humor. It was definitely the environment Reece needed to take her mind off of
the strange events from earlier.
In the midst of her laughter,
Reece glanced up to see if the waitress was returning with their meals, only to
be frozen in shock. Across the way, the two men from the plane were sitting at
a table which faced theirs. The blond man was staring directly at her, and when
she tried to act as though she hadn’t noticed them, he raised his wine glass in
her direction and smiled.
She looked back to Lori and Mitch
sitting across from her, trying to shake herself into reality. Are they
following me? Who are these guys?
Lori looked at her quizzically.
“Reece, are you okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
Reece shook her head and
tightened her fist angrily. This could not be happening.
“What do you need?” Jack said.
“I’ll get the waitress. Why are you so tense?”
Reece heard all of their voices
like echoes in the background as she pulled herself together. She closed her
eyes and unclenched her fists. “Water,” she said softly. “I just wanted to see
if refills were coming.”
She had to pull it together, and
she would do it now. Reece would not allow these men to intimidate her in
anyway. Whether or not these two interesting men had anything to do with the
strange occurrences on the plane, or if they were following her now, she would
prove to them she wasn’t afraid of them. Inwardly she was concerned, but she
would not let them see that.
Jack was the one to break the
silence. “All of this over a glass of water? Stay here; I’ll go get the
waitress.” Reece clutched his hand. “Sheesh, Reece, can you release the death
grip? I won’t make a scene, but Lori’s right; you look like you’ve had a
paranormal experience or something.”
Shortly thereafter, the waitress
appeared with refills, followed by other staff with their plates. Jack sat
back, and once the staff left, Reece laughed. “Sorry guys, it has been a very
long day. I think I just need to eat. This food smells delicious, doesn’t it?”
Her friends looked worried. She
knew they’d never seen her act this way. And quite frankly, she was beginning
to worry herself.
Reece ignored their discomfort.
She started in on her plate, took a bite, and smiled brilliantly. “Guys, stop
staring at me, we don’t need any more drama.” she laughed as she took another
bite, “Now, what were we talking about before I almost melted down over a glass
of water?”
Jack didn’t hesitate to break up
the awkward moment. While he continued to relax everyone at the table with his
humor, Reece reached for her glass of wine. She felt the eyes of the men
stealing glances at her, and now it was time to show them, they didn’t
intimidate her.
She looked over at their table. Both
men were engaged in conversation, but must have noticed Reece watching them.
The dark haired man looked over at her, bringing the blond one’s eyes to follow
his gaze. After Reece had the blond man’s attention, she arched her brow,
raised her wineglass to him, and smiled with confidence. The darker one’s lips
turned up slightly, while he brought his attention back to his friend, the one
who Reece was gazing directly at. The blond chuckled softly, and returned her
smile with amusement. Then, without another glance back to Reece, he returned
to his plate before him.
Handsome or not, Reece was
annoyed that these two mysterious men were playing games with her. It was best
if she just ignored them from here on out. She knew if she didn’t, it would not
take much for her to walk over to their table and start demanding answers. With
that in mind, she engaged herself in the lively conversation her friends were
now having, and ignored any desire to return her attention back to the men.
The rest of dinner was uneventful,
and Jack entertained everyone so well that they seemed to forget about Reece’s
odd behavior.
Back at the apartment, Reece
wished Lori a good night, and fell into bed. The alarm clock would ring soon
enough.
About the Author:
International Award winning author S. L. Morgan grew up in the beautiful Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Over the past nine years, she and her husband, Jason Morgan, their three kids moved throughout the United States. Recently, S.L. Morgan was blessed to move back to her hometown of Oakhurst California where she is currently editing the third book in the Ancient Guardians Novel Series.
S.L. Morgan was born telling vivid and long stories to anyone who would listen. With a personality that is extremely driven, she finally decided to put her stories to paper. With her passion and love for Jane Austen classics and the wonderful imaginative books from C.S. Lewis, she created the new Novel Series, Ancient Guardians.
Recently S.L. Morgan has been honored with awards for The Legacy of the Key, winning the 2014 Reader’s Favorite Silver medal for Fiction: Supernatural and also winning gold in the Global eBook awards for Fiction: Fantasy Romance. The Legacy of the Key was also a recipient of four 5-star review seals from Reader’s Favorite reviews.
With her second book in the series published, receiving a 5-star seal from Reader’s Favorite Reviews and now a nominee for the Global e-book award, S.L. Morgan is currently working on edits for the third book in her series.
When not entirely consumed by writing and editing, S.L. Morgan absolutely loves to be out on her boat in the summer or hitting the slopes in when winter comes around. She prides herself in her Starbucks Gold card and is convinced this series would have never made it to publishing without a Venti Café Americano.
With a profound love for her family, life and friends; S.L. Morgan enjoys every minute of every day, endeavoring to live her life at its fullest. With a very open and friendly personality, she enjoys interacting with her reader’s and helping those in need.
Humbled with every book review, be them good or bad, S.L. Morgan continues to write in her series with the hopes of entertaining more and more reader’s everyday.
Website: www.slmorganauthor.com
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/slmorganauthor
Book Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AncientGuardiansLegacyOfTheKey
Twitter: @slmorgan1
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