Blood of the Rainbow Page 11

  “I’m fine Jared. I don’t want to go to the emergency room. Can’t you just take care of me at home? I – ah – I meant your place.” It surprised Sara how easily she’d used the word home.

  Jared smiled, pleased that she’d said it. “You had it right the first time Sara. It can be your home anytime you’re ready for it to be.” He sighed, deep in thought. “I guess you can sleep, but if you start feeling dizzy or get a headache, we’re going straight to the hospital, no questions asked, understood?” He glanced at her.

  Sara spoke with sincerity. “I’ll do whatever you want me to.” No more trying to be noble, she would do anything he asked her to. Sara wanted him, and she couldn’t give him up – not after he’d told her that he loved her. If this is a mistake, I’ll suffer the consequences, even if the price is my soul. “Can I go to sleep now?” she asked again.

  “If you really need to, but be forewarned, I might rouse you a time or two, just to make sure you’re still ok.”

  “Maybe I can stay awake if you’ll talk to me.”

  “What do you want to talk about?”

  “How did you know where to look for me? I know Steve gave you my message, and apparently – despite what I asked him not to do - told you what we talked about. That still wouldn’t have told you which way to look for me. Even when I left his house, I didn’t know what I was going to do, or where I was going.”

  Jared grimaced slightly. “Would you believe me if I said I asked my Spirit Guide?”

  Sara rapidly blinked, trying to stay awake. “I might if I knew what a Spirit Guide was. Are they like a guardian angel?”

  Jared laughed. “Well, yes and no. Everyone has a Spirit Guide. They’re not just for our people. You see, before we choose to be reincarnated, we’d already chosen our Spirit Guides in the afterlife. Each of us has a special Spirit Guide that has been with us since birth. Through prayer and meditation, we can go to our Spirit Guides, and ask questions about things in our lives. If it is in our best interests, they answer and guide us.

  When I had talked to Steve, before I came to look for you, I went to my secret place and asked my Spirit Guide to show me where you were. I explained how much you meant to me and then I got in the car and started driving. I tried to reach you on your cell, but when you didn’t answer, I went in whatever direction I felt compelled to. All I could think about was what I would do if I didn’t get to you in time.”

  “Wow! If everybody has a Spirit Guide, does that include me? How do I communicate with it – her – him – them?”

  “Yes, it includes you. You may already be in contact with it on a sub-conscious level. Have you ever had an impulse to do or say something, or felt like there was something you just had to do, and you didn’t know why?”

  “Yeah. I felt that way when I left home to move in with Lucy. I didn’t know why, I just knew it was the right thing for me to do. I tried to explain it to my mother, but she didn’t understand – I guess I really didn’t either. I just knew it was something I had to do.”

  Jared smiled, reached across and took her hand. “I’m glad you listened. Otherwise, I may never have found you.”

  “It was my Spirit Guide that made me feel that way?”

  “I can’t say for sure, but probably….”

  “Can I see my Spirit Guide?”

  “Probably, if you were taught in our ways.”

  Sara’s interest was piqued. “Would you teach me?”

  “Yes, if you want me to, but my grandfather would be a better teacher. He’s better at it than I am.”

  “It would mean more to me if you did it. Please.”

  He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Ok, but if you end up with Garfield as a Spirit Guide, don’t blame me,” he said laughing. Sara smiled. “Can I take this music out for a minute? There’s something I want you to listen to.”

  Sara nodded. “Course you can. It’s your radio, Silly.”

  Jared gave her a wry grin and put a different DVD in. The next thing Sara knew, her song was playing. She gave Jared a strange look. “I did it the other night while it was just us, before the rest of the band got there.”

  Sara was flabbergasted, it sounded professional. “How did you make it sound so good?”

  Jared laughed. “I recorded it. I haven’t done anything to it, other than twin your voice in some places. It’s just you, me and my piano, and the background track I was using. Sara, you have a beautiful voice. I didn’t need to do anything to it. It’s good just the way it is. I want to give a copy of it to the local radio stations, and get them to play it over the airways – with your permission, of course.”

  “I don’t know – do you really think it’s good enough?”

  “I wouldn’t have told you if I didn’t. Neither would I have bothered to make a recording of you. You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve turned down, that desperately wanted to be part of ‘Raging Storm’.”

  Sara started feeling drowsy again. She blinked a couple more times, but she knew it wouldn’t last. Yes I would, especially if, the wannabes were girls. Jared’s voice was amazingly hypnotic. Sara jerked her head as he continued talking to her. “I trust you. Do whatever you want to with the recording.”

  Jared smiled and kissed her hand again. “I also want to set up some bookings, get you out front. I want you to feature for ‘Raging Storm’ – when you’re well enough, that is.”

  “Me – out front?” she asked, her eyes slowly closing again. Sara blinked a couple times more, and managed to finish her feeble objection, “Jared, you’re forgetting; I have a horrible case of stage fright.”

  “Remember what I said. A few more sessions in the studio and you won’t have that. Besides, I won’t make you do it alone Sara. I’ll be out there with you. We’ll work on it together. If you really want to make a career, I’ll get you over your stage fright. Sara – Sara, are you awake?” Jared softly laughed. “Just rest, Angel, I’ll sing you to sleep.” Jared’s last few words were so far away, Sara barely heard them, and then she fell asleep to the sound of his perfect voice.

  ------------

  The next thing Sara was aware of was Jared carrying her into his house, and up the stairs to his bedroom. She recognized it from before. He gently laid her on his bed, and started undressing her. Sara felt a warm cloth, rubbing over her body as Jared cleaned the mud and blood off her skin. After he’d toweled her off, Sara heard him call Lucy and explain things to her. It sounded like Lucy was upset and wanted to come over, but Jared told her Sara was sleeping.

  Sara heard his cell beep and felt his lips on her forehead. “Good night, Angel,” he whispered, kneeling over her. He started to walk away. Sara reached out for him, taking his hand.

  Sara opened her bleary eyes, her voice a whisper. “Stay….”

  “All right,” Jared whispered, “but I won’t sleep with you.” He kicked off his shoes and lay beside her on top of the cover. He snuggled up close to her, and Sara laid her head on his shoulder. She felt warm and safe. Jared gently caressed her face and smiled. “I want you to sleep now.” He kissed her.

  Sara kissed him back. “I don’t want to sleep. Sleep is not what I want.” She looked deeply into his eyes.

  Jared groaned. “No, I know it’s not what you want, but it’s what you need.” He started singing ‘Angel’ to her again.

  “That’s not fair,” Sara weakly grumbled.

  Jared kissed her forehead, smiled and whispered in her ear, “I know.” Then he carried on singing until she was fast asleep.

  ------------

  Sara woke up sometime in the night, disoriented. She looked beside her. Jared was sleeping peacefully next to her. His chest rising and falling with his gentle breathing. His mouth was next to her ear. Each time he exhaled, it tickled, sending shivers down her spine. Sara never wanted to leave. She touched his face, and it woke him with a start.

  “What is it? What’s wrong, Sara – did I hurt you? Do you want me to move?”

  “No, you didn�
�t hurt me, and I most certainly do not want you to move – ever.” Her voice was breathless. She leaned up and kissed him.

  Jared responded to her kisses. “You’re not trying very hard, Sara.” He covered her mouth with his. “God how I want you Sara.” His voice was hoarse, filled with desire as he kissed her over and over, each one deeper and more intense than the last. Sara could feel his body responding as his need grew. He started moaning and losing control. “Sara – stop me,” he gasped.

  “But I don’t want to… I want this… I want you….”

  “You promised me. Please, don’t let me do this,” he pled, but he didn’t pull away, and he didn’t stop kissing her. His own will was gone, he was depending on hers now, and she didn’t want to do what he was asking. Oh God! Help me! She didn’t want him to stop, but the words he’d said to her ripped through her heart like scalpels. He slid his hand under the cover. He was whispering again. “You promised me….”

  Sara drew in as steady a breath as she was able to. “Jared… Stop! You have to stop!” her voice was weak and unconvincing.

  “But I don’t want to stop…” He cupped his hand around her breast as his lips found hers again.

  The moment of decision was at hand; the longing so real, the line between doing what she wanted, and what he’d asked her to do was becoming dangerously transparent. For a few seconds, her mind went blank, totally lost in her desire.

  “You have to,” she said, weakly, pushing his hands away from her aching body. “You made me promise. Please, I want you to stop Jared – please.” That was it. Sara had used what fight she had left to stop what she wanted so badly she could taste it, cool and sweet, warm and bitter. Wrong or right, she didn’t care anymore. If Jared persisted, Sara couldn’t resist him. She wouldn’t! The next move would be made by him; she’d run out of strength.

  Jared knew this. He stopped kissing her, and looked deeply and longingly into her eyes. “Now I know you’re not doing this because you feel obligated by what’s in my diary. You’re doing this because it’s what you want. ” He kissed her passionately again.

  “Jared, you said you wanted me to stop you. I have. What are you doing? I don’t understand.”

  “I told you not to make me make the choice. I asked you not to offer yourself to me. I never said I didn’t want to make love to you. I asked you not to offer yourself to me, and you didn’t. Now the choice is not for me to make. It’s your choice now.”

  Chapter 7

  Sara didn’t know what happened next. She must have fallen asleep again. What terrible timing. It was morning before she woke up – alone. Jared had left a note on the pillow next to her. Using his pastels, he’d sketched a white wolf, holding a red rose in its teeth on the front of it. She picked it up and turned it over. The message was short and sweet.

  ‘Good morning Angel,

  What you did last night took courage and will power - you made the right choice. Special moments like last night are what bind us together forever. Next time, you might be the one begging me to stop – for real. I’ll call you later on today. Just sleep and dream of me.’

  Sara tried to move her foot, and remembered that she’d twisted her ankle, when she fell down the hill. She threw the covers back, and saw that she wasn’t wearing anything. Had he made love to her? Had she actually slept right through it! No, that couldn’t be possible.

  Sara grabbed the card and read it again. No, we couldn’t have made love, but where are my clothes? Of course, I remember Jared washed me off. He must have taken my clothes off then. But that would mean, when we were - I would have been - and he would - Wow!

  Jared had more self-control than Sara had given him credit for. But, if she couldn’t find her clothes, what was she going to wear?

  She wrapped the sheet around her naked body and sat on the side of the bed, but not without pain. She attempted to stand, and fell back on the bed. “Well,” she mused. “I’m not going to walk away from this one. Maybe I should just lie back, and wait for Jared to call.” Sara yawned, and lay back against the pillows, but not before she’d made sure her cell was in reach. She must have truly been exhausted, because before she knew it, she was asleep again.

  ------------

  Sara was awakened by her cell. She picked it up and looked at the name on the display. It was Jared, just as he’d promised. She smiled. “Hi.”

  “Hi Angel, feeling any better this morning? Well, I say morning, but it’s actually almost noon. I was beginning to think you’d run away from me again.”

  “Really – why? It’s not as if I can run.”

  Jared chuckled. “You’re probably right, but I rang you about half an hour after I got to the office. You must have been sleeping.”

  “Probably….”

  “If you hadn’t answered this time, I was coming home to check on you. Listen, I spoke with Lucy, and she and I agree. You might as well stay with me until your ankle has mended. Besides, I need to make sure you’re not going to have any kind of reaction to the bump on your head.”

  It was Sara’s turn to laugh. “You want me to hang around because of a twisted ankle, and a little bump on the head? Are you sure it’s not because you don’t want me to leave?”

  Sara could hear the embarrassment in his voice.

  “All right – I’ll admit it, I’m being selfish again. After holding you in my arms all night long and realizing you were still there when I woke up, and you’re still there now. I want you with me. I need you with me! You have no idea how I felt when I thought I’d lost you. Nothing seemed to matter Sara - not the house, not the job, not even my life. I want you to stay with me, but, if you truthfully want to go back to Lucy’s…” he said, with a smile in his voice. He already knew what her answer would be.

  “No, I’ll stay, if you’re really sure about this….”

  “Sara, I’ve been sure since I laid eyes on you, and even before then. It’s you that I want to be sure about this. Is this what you want?”

  Sara couldn’t stop smiling. She couldn’t see for the tears in her eyes. If he only knew, how sure she was of him, and how badly she needed him. “I’m sure. I’ll need some things from Lucy’s….”

  Jared’s voice was high with excitement. “You’re going to move in with me?”

  “Yes, I will. But, I think we should hold off telling Lucy for a while. She already knows I’m staying until my ankle has healed. I think it would be a good idea if we left it at that for now, for fear she might talk to my mother, and that would not go over well.”

  “Sure – anything you want. And I’ll pick up some stuff for you when I get off work. Just text me a list of what you need. I might be kind of late – I do still have that staff meeting I was telling you about.”

  “I thought it was last night.”

  “It was supposed to be but, I was rescuing my damsel in distress. My very sexy, damsel in distress,” he said, playfully.

  “Oh! Right. Jared?”

  “Hmm.”

  “What am I supposed to do today?”

  “Whatever you want to – within reason. With that twisted ankle, I wouldn’t suggest trying out for any marathons, and I’m afraid the dance contests will have to wait a week or two.”

  “Ha - ha – very funny. What about going down stairs?”

  “I’d rather you didn’t. My staff knows you’re there. If you need anything, something to eat or drink or just someone to talk to, you can get one of them to help you – or I suppose you could call me, but I may not be able to talk long if I’m with a patient. I would call you back later, when I got a break. It’s up to you. Seriously, you need to stay off your ankle as much as possible and give the swelling a chance to go down.

  I’ve booked us at the Hirsch Memorial Coliseum. KWKH is throwing a reunion for the old Louisiana Hayride next month. We’re in the line-up. I’m not sure exactly what time we’ll go on. They’ll be sending me a schedule later on. I’m going to need my lead female vocalist in top shape, so you’ve got to do everything wit
hin your power to be whole by that time, or I’ll have to cancel. ‘Raging Storm’ gets bookings occasionally, but this could be your big break. I doubt this kind of opportunity will come along in a while.”

  My big break? Sara was surprised. “You’ve booked us at HMC? Jared, that thing holds over ten thousand people. And there will likely be radio and TV crews there, as well! If you want me to get out in front of all those people, you’ve got a lot more than my ankle to heal.”

  Jared’s voice was deep and husky. “Don’t worry Sara. I’ll conquer all your fears.” Sara could tell he wasn’t just talking about her stage fright. Her heart suddenly fluttered.

  She tried to keep her voice even. “I’m looking forward to that.”

  “See you tonight – gotta run, love you….”

  Sara opened her mouth to respond, but he’d ended the call – he was gone. “I really do need to talk to him about that,” she complained, but she couldn’t stop grinning. “He loves me!”

  Wrapping the sheet around her, Sara hobbled over to the closet, to find something to wear. It wasn’t an easy task, but she finally found one of Jared’s old flannel shirts in a drawer. She held it to her nose and breathed in deeply. It still had the scent of his cologne on it. She closed her eyes, slid her arms in the sleeves and imagined his arms wrapping around her, keeping her safe and warm. Sara loved that feeling. Hell, she loved everything about him. The sleeves were too long, so Sara rolled them up a few rounds until they were just above her elbows. The tail of the shirt went almost to her knees, so she didn’t bother putting anything over her underwear. Besides, her shorts from yesterday were dirty and covered with mud. She had no idea where Jared put them.

  Sara brushed her hair, tied it up in a high ponytail, and sprayed on a hint of perfume. She stood and surveyed herself in the mirror. She didn’t look half-bad, but she didn’t expect she would be making fashion statements. At least she had more covered than she’d had yesterday. Just thinking about Jared seeing her topless made her blush, but at the same time, made her stomach tickle. Anyone else would have taken advantage of her, but not Jared. He was a one-of-a-kind.