Shadow Lover (Siren Publishing Allure) (5 page)

She shook her head in denial of everything he said. “Real? I don’t think so. Sure, you may seem real, yet how can you be? You’re in my mind. A fictional character that doesn't even exist. Nothing but words on a page."

He crouched down beside her. "Do I look real?" he whispered, touching her chin with his fingers and turning her face up to his.

"Yes," she whispered, losing herself within the glittering blue depth of his eyes.

He picked up her hand and placed it on his thigh. "Do I feel real?" He began moving it upward, and Chyna's heart began to pound.

"Yes, but."

"I'm very real Chyna. You have to believe that. You have made me real."

"In my dreams, while I’m asleep…"

"No, Chyna,” he said. Then, grabbing the tops of her arms, he made her look at him. “I’m real until you no longer want me," he whispered. “Or the day that you’ll want me so much that I’ll step into your world, just as you’ve stepped into mine.”

“But, how is that possible?”

“You have to want it badly enough.”

“I can’t believe that. I just can’t.”

His gaze stabbed into hers, his mouth speaking the words that stunned her. “What can I say to convince you? You must have believed at one time. I’m here. Your creation come to life, Chyna. Your blood, your breath, your thoughts."

“No!” she insisted, struggling in his arms. “You can’t ask me to believe that, it would be insane.”

He cast a long shadow over her, and whispered, "It’s true, Chyna. I’m the one consistent thread throughout all your novels. Novels filled with crime, evil, blood, killing, heaven, hell.”

“What about love?”

“Yes, it’s there as well, along with hate, wars, famine, poverty, and fear. And then there’s weakness,” he whispered as his gaze bored into her. “You know about weakness, Chyna. All kinds of weaknesses. Weakness of the soul, the mind—" He hesitated, his eyes lowering to the lushness of her body. “—the flesh."

"The flesh? But you have no flesh. You're not real."

In anger he grasped her face and his eyes stabbed hers. "Is
this
not real?"

His lips crushed hers, causing her to moan when they began sensuously drawing on hers.

No, don't,
Chyna thought when he ended the kiss and looked into her heavily-lidded eyes.

"Tell me Chyna,” he rasped, his dark gaze piercing hers, “how
real
do you want me to get?"

As real as it gets,
she thought as she boldly returned his blazing look.

"Yes, yes," he whispered, his eyes holding hers captive within their passionate gaze.

His husky body leaned closer, lowering her toward the pillows. When his lips found hers again, she responded, her passion equal to his. He moaned softly as he tasted their succulent sweetness, then gently kissed them open with his tongue, devouring her while deeply exploring their fragrant softness.

She felt the softness of the pillows behind her as he pressed her into them. She could feel the weight of his body on hers, causing her mouth to open in ecstasy when she felt his lips on her neck, causing a series of tingles to explode into hot, sparkling, iridescent flashes. He then sensuously lifted her gown and opened her legs, pushing himself between her inviting thighs while she responded hungrily to his hot, searching hands. Dizzy with desire, she felt his arousal growing against her stomach, and in response she lifted her knees.

Suddenly a loud alarm sounded, blasting her dream to tiny pieces of confetti.

"Damned clock!” she yelled, throwing the injured mechanical marvel against the wall, sending it's warped, metal parts flying in all directions.

Joni slowly rolled her old clunker into Chyna’s drive, making so much noise it sounded as if a collection of metal parts had fallen off and were rattling around inside. Coming to a halt, she revved up the engine, afraid to turn it off. Deciding to keep it running just to be safe, she hung out the window and honked, repeatedly. Chyna came out frowning. "Joni, please. There’s no reason to honk. Everyone within a ten mile radius can hear you. What in hell is wrong with your car?"

"I don't know. I'm putting it in the garage tomorrow."

"I think you should dig a hole and bury it."

"Okay, okay,” Joni said irritably, “so get the lead out and let's get moving."

"Uh, Joni, why don't we go in mine?"

"Chyna, there's nothing to worry about. Bessie may be old and ugly, but she's given me great service."

"Yeah? Well, I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend my evening walking down the highway waving down truckers."

"Are you kidding? That's why I drive this old heap. She's paired me up with quite a few hunks in the past year."

Chyna just stood there, her head angled as she glared at Joni with her arms folded.

"Okay," Joni sighed, turning off the motor and picking up her purse. "But I hope you realize that since I've turned her off, I may not be able to get her started again." She looked at Chyna's concerned face as she climbed out of the car. "Hey, don't worry, if nothing else you can just think of her as an odd and unusual yard ornament." Stroking the scarred up fender, she added with a teasing smile, "A conversation piece
du jour
."

* * * *

Later, driving down the highway, Joni noticed Chyna’s pensive mood, and asked, "Hey, you feelin' any better?"

"Oh, there's nothing wrong with me that a big rugged, handsome man wouldn't cure." She glanced over at her friend. "Know any?"

"Sure, but none that you'd get within fifty feet of."

"By the way, where are we going?"

"City Lights. A new place that opened up in Atlantic City." Joni frowned when she didn’t get a reaction, and said, “Get the connection? Atlantic
City…City
Lights?” When she couldn’t get Chyna’s attention, Joni sighed, leaned back against the seat and mumbled, “I can tell this night’s gonna be a howl.” Turning back to Chyna with a frown, she looked at her for a couple of minutes, then said, “Hey, will you cheer up? You’re making me remember my root canal fondly.”

Chyna turned and gave Joni a faint smile. “Sorry, I guess I’m a little distracted. City Lights? That’s the name of it? No, I don't think I've ever heard of it."

"Yeah, well, it's a new spot on the boardwalk. Been open…I don’t know, about a year now. It’s got a live band, great booze, even a casino.”

“How far is it?”

“Just straight up the coast road, you can’t miss it. Real exclusive. Only the richest poor people in town go there."

"One of those places, huh?"

"Just kidding. It really is great. The food is absolutely brimming with fat and calories."

“Oh, joy,” Chyna muttered, her mood still somber.

It's one of those outside things, only at this time of the year the outside cafe is closed and everyone has to eat inside."

"Oh well, I guess too much emphasis is put on fun anyway."

"Hey," Joni said, insulted. "You're gonna love it. It's really a jumpin' place. There are crowds of people all year round."

"Yee gads," Chyna groaned. "Tourists yet."

"Oh, and the best part is, they have outside speakers that blast the music right out on the street." She looked over at Chyna. "I'm surprised you haven't been there before."

"Yeah, well, my work keeps me pretty busy."

"Chyna, you're not foolin' anybody. How long has it been since you had a date?"

"I can't help it, Joni, there's just no one I'm interested in. Where in hell are all the hot men? You know, the ones you see on calendars and in the movies for God's sake."

"You've just answered your own question. They're on calendars and in the movies."

"Yeah? Well somebody's got 'em, and it sure as hell isn’t me.”

“Well don’t look at me. I’m not hiding anybody under my bed.”

“Paper and celluloid is vastly over-rated, Joni. Doesn’t give out much heat on a cold night."

"You're just too damned hard to please, Chyna. Maybe you should lower your standards. You're not going to find Mel Gibson in the produce section of the supermarket."

Chyna looked down the long ribbon of road, dreamy-eyed. "You know who I'd really like to have?"

"No, and with that look on your face, I’m afraid to ask."

"Quinn Grayson."

"What the hell is a Quinn Grayson?"

"He's my dream man," Chyna said, smiling, then looked over at Joni with a frown. “Don’t you remember me telling you about him?”

"Oh God, we're on that again. You're telling me you don't want a man made out of paper or celluloid, but you're willing to take one made out of thin air? Really, Chyna, I’ve never seen anyone get involved with her characters the way you do."

“He’s not a character, Joni.”

“Yeah? Well he’s just as bad. He’s someone that lives in your head, for God’s sake.”

Chyna became petulant. “Besides, he's not made out of thin air. He's as solid as stone."

"Come on, Chyna, if he lives in your imagination, he couldn't be anything more solid than, well, those men you make up for one of your novels for instance."

"I don't know how it's possible, but it's true. I've been having some strange dreams lately, and, well, when he touches me, I just melt."

"Hey, girlfriend," Joni said, leaning over and looking at her with concern. "I think you need to get away from that computer for a while. You're beginning to think those characters in your books are real."

"I can't, Joni. I've got another book due soon."

"Well, after this one then. My God, you've got enough books out there now to fill a library. You whip 'em out like there's no tomorrow. Where the hell do you get all these ideas anyway?"

Chyna sighed. "Don't ever become a writer, Joni, it can be a lonely existence."

Suddenly Joni lunged forward and pointed. "Hey, there it is! Pull up there."

Chyna quickly turned the wheel and pulled over, maneuvering the car into a good parking spot. She slowly emerged from the low-slung little Spyder with wonder in her eyes. Looking around, she smiled at all the activity. The street was crowded and people were dancing on the streets to the music that was being piped out through a loud speaker system. Clubs and hotels dotted the shoreline.

Joni yelled over the loud music. “This stretch of beach is called The Strip. There’s everything here from gambling to burlesque. Some of it legal, some of it not.”

“Joni, this—”

Joni groaned. “Don’t be a goody-two-shoes, Chyna, just let go and have a little fun.”

“I was going to say that this is a good choice.” Chyna frowned at her. “Why don’t you let me finish a sentence once in a while?”

"Okay, so you finished a sentence. Funny, but I didn’t hear an apology in there."

"All right, so I was wrong. I apologize."

While they were waiting to be seated, Chyna felt strange, as if she were being watched. She looked around for something—someone—anything that would be the source of her discomfort, but found nothing. Just then the maître d' walked past her with a couple of menus, leading them to a table close by. Chyna followed, winding around other tables while her furtive gaze once again swept across the room. Suddenly her eyes stopped at a man whose menu was being stealthily lifted, as if he were hiding his face.

“How did you find this place?” she asked Joni as she pulled her eyes away from the menu and back to her dinner partner.

“Oh, word of mouth, you know.”

“Really, Joni…” Chyna’s words faded when she happened to look again at the man with the menu. His face was familiar. "Oh, my God,” she breathed. She grabbed Joni’s jacket and began to tug. “There he is," she hissed. "There's my dre…" She stopped suddenly, remembering his words.

--or the day that you’ll want me so much that I’ll step into your world, just as you’ve stepped into mine.
The words echoed over and over in her mind.
Into your world—into YOUR world.

She remembered telling Joni in the car that she wanted a man like—no, not a man
like
Quinn Grayson, but Quinn Grayson, himself.
Was that the key?
she wondered, as her gaze furtively scanned nameless, faceless people until she found him again. It was him—she knew it was him. The same curl, the same eyes, the same dimple. Chyna suddenly felt ridiculous.
Get a grip, Chyna,
she thought,
It can’t be the same man.
He’s just—he’s just—an incredible look alike.

Finally having it settled in her mind, she managed to pull her eyes away from him and looked over at Joni who was laughing and chattering endlessly. Chyna tried to relax and listen to her, but she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Slowly she cut her gaze around and looked at him again, noticing that he was with a very attractive brunette. She quickly lowered her eyes, feeling a big pang of jealousy clutch at her stomach.

"What's wrong, kiddo?"