Hi everyone! Happy Hallows Eve to those in Kitten Land!
I'm sorry for taking SO long to update this story. I'm going to get back in the groove now that I've got a bit more time opening up. Thank you for those who've written to me asking me if I fell of the planet. I think I have a few times but it's always nice to know there are those who got concerned.
Many thank you's to those who posted, who keep reading, who have left me feedback and explored some of the story line with me. I truly thank each and every one who has read along!!
I'll post a bit more tonight, and then get some flack, me thinks, for doing more cliff-hangery kinds of posts. But heck, keeps things interesting...I think.
Okay, on to part whateverIlastlefton and I hope you enjoy!
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The lightening fractured and split in unison with the chorus of thunder belting out in the darkened skies. The night was looming upon the remaining daylight quickly and the fierceness of the storm, although exciting to both witches, still yielded a sense of awe and awareness in each. The lights had flickered on and off occasionally threatening to merge itself within the pending darkness. A few sudden outbursts of cracking thunder had made both women jump nervously. Willow grabbed for Tara’s shoulder.
“Whoa! That's some kinda noise maker out there!”
The blonde jolted, too, but not so much from the noise, as it was from the touch of a very beautiful witch.
“Um. Yeah, it sounds...really fierce outside.” She bucked again when Willow’s hand slid from her shoulder down her back before reclaiming it’s space beside the redheaded owner. Tara stood up.
"We should have a drink and settle in...and I’ll go look for..um...look for some...” She trailed off in mid-thought, heading towards her purse resting on a bar stool in the kitchen.
Willow watched her walk away understanding the distraction. She suddenly thought to light a few candles... those ’just in case’ candles. The kind of candles you light in a romantic setting, hoping if the lights will go out in the middle of a huge thunderstorm kind of candles, it doesn’t destroy the mood kind of candles. Her emotions sparked with similar intensity as the storm. She bemused at her hidden agenda. Perhaps she subconsciously beckoned the storm for this very purpose. She wouldn’t put it past herself. She glanced back over to Tara, who seemed to read her very mind and was fidgeting with a pack of matches she pulled from her purse.
Tara had her own emotional interlude in play. ‘Damn these matches.’ Her hands were damp and she couldn’t get the match head to light. The adrenalin pushed and pounded through her veins causing those same damp hands to slightly tremble in anticipation. She, yet again, broke another match stick. Pulling one from the box, she turned it upwards, at eye level.
“Ignitus.”
The little wooden stick silently glowed. She put the match to the wick of a large candle in the middle of the counter top, then turned towards Willow. “Uh...you caught me.” Tara applied her wonderful sheepish grin.
“That’s okay. You’re allowed, you know.” The redhead smiled in return, letting her eyes linger gingerly over the open folds of Tara’s blouse...she got a stunning view of exceptional cleavage which was not to be missed, even in the dim light. Willow forced herself to turn her head, as she was all too aware of her sudden libido. She stepped over the to the entertainment center, the huge sound system she bought herself a few months ago, and began fumbling through her assorted selection for something nice to play.
Tara waited a moment before she sat down again, tugging her blouse open to further reveal a luscious neck and collarbone, and unfastening yet another button past naughty. The blonde knew what she wanted on the eve of this night. She had placed two glasses of wine on the wrought iron table but didn’t want to start sipping until Willow had taken a seat beside her. She felt a toast coming on and wished to celebrate a mutual communion of her new found romance.
Willow finally found her musical source and put it in the CD player. The soft, soothing tune of Celtic women’s voices filtered through the speakers, just loud enough to be noticed but not overwhelming. This was a unique night, indeed, and she wanted something haunting and reflective of the storm’s mood to be playing. She felt charged and alive, sensually powerful and seductive, all wrapped with a tender candy coated shell.
“This okay with you?” She raised her one eyebrow, searching Tara’s expression for approval.
“I like it. It’s perfect actually.”
“I’m glad you like...it seems to fill all those spaces in between me, especially when I’m alone.”
Willow strode over to the sofa and sat next to the beguiling blonde with the exposed neckline. Her actions had not gone unnoticed at all.
“Well, you’re not alone now...” Tara placed her hand gently across Willow’s cheek, softly caressing the delicate complexion of the woman looking back. Willow closed her eyes instinctively to the arousing touch.
The blue eyed woman abruptly stopped and leaned in for the two glasses of wine.
“It’s just so nice to be here and I’d like to propose to you....” She hesitated, reflecting her spirit in the green eyes now opened wide. She double-tracked, realizing her words could have come across as terribly hasty for not knowing someone very long in chronological terms. “What I’m saying is that I’d like to make a toast in honor of all that’s happened, as we found each other, and remain together, overcame some pretty weird stuff...and...and...it's all because of a necklace needing repair.”
Tara reached again to place something back on the table and raised her glass in a mock salute. Willow smiled and followed suit. They both had their glasses raised to the stone each had possessed.
“To the legacy of the stone, then!”
“Yes, to the legacy of the stone...”
“May we create more legacies of our own, in the here and now.”
“Absolutely!”
They clinked their glasses together.
“Thank you, Tara, for being here.”
“I’m very happy to be here. The night...it’s special, and I can feel the energy...the magic...it breathes all around us.”
Willow slowly nodded her head. She knew exactly what Tara was saying. The magic was coming from them now. Not just the stones. She couldn’t wait for the details of this evening to keep unfolding. But Willow knew that this evening was just the start to something incredible....and she was going to let the night linger as long as possible.
“Hey, Tara?”
She finished sipping from her glass and faced Willow’s question. “Mmmm?”
“Wait here, okay? I’ve got something for you.”
“You...you do?”
“Yes, but I want you to keep your eyes closed and do not open them until I say so. Will you do this? Please?”
“Oh, yes, of course I will.” She folded her hands in her lap and stayed still, waiting expectantly for her surprise.
“Okay, gimme just a sec...”
It seemed like eternity. Tara usually was good at keeping her word. However, she cheated and opened one eye, just slightly so she could peak at the sexy form walking down the hallway.
Willow, without turning around, called out. “I know you’re looking! I can feel you!”
Tara smiled.
‘
Yep. We’re connected alright.’