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  WARNING: This story contains sexually explicit material, and is intended only for people over the age of 18. By downloading and opening this document, you are stating that you are of legal age to access and view this work of fiction.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Shimmer

  Copyright© Cassandra Curtis, July 2007

  Cover Art by: Silma Pagán

  This book has not been edited. It’s an “as is” work, and is available as a free download; however, no part of this story or its characters may be used, reproduced, reprinted, or redistributed in anyway without expressed written permission from the author.

  Shimmer

  Sherbet chiffon should be outlawed! Dixie kicked off her satin pumps and wished she could do the same with her bridesmaid dress. Who ever heard of having the whole traditional shebang at a beach-themed wedding? Her crazy sister, Lavonia–that’s who.

  She looked from her sister to her new brother-in-law as they danced past, and fought back a sigh. The groom’s eyes were locked on his bride, a half smile on his lips. Her sister caressed her new hubby’s neck, and leaned up for a kiss. Lordy, if she had to watch much more of this she’d gag on all the sugar.

  Oh sure, she was happy for her sister. But she wondered how many of the guests knew that Daniel had originally been her blind date, not Lavonia’s. Before she’d known what was what, that sneaky brat up and stole him.

  When she thought about it, she had to admit her sister made a better match for Daniel. The man liked magnolias, and no one had ever accused Dixie of being a delicate, fragrant flower. Nope, she was more of a firecracker pepper plant according to her last boyfriend. Hot to the touch and hot to the taste. Her ex should have remembered one other thing hot about her–and not cheated.

  Dixie grinned. She’d scared him silly and taught him a lesson. The next woman who got her ex really should thank her.

  She grabbed her shoes, the half-full glass of her pink champagne, and stepped from the hotel’s ballroom onto the wraparound balcony. She looked toward the beach below. Sea foam washed on shore in a gentle roll of white bubbles. The dark of the sky and the waves in the distance melded so that there was no visible horizon…only endless velvet night and twinkling stars. The picturesque view caught her breath. It was just so...romantic.

  A walk along the beach sounded perfect–so what if she had no one to hold her hand. Yep, she’d breathe in some of the fresh sea air and enjoy the beauty of the island. She picked her way down the steps and deliberately jumped the last set, her feet secure in the warm bank of sand. Tiny white crabs scurried to their burrows as she passed.

  Ohh...bliss. The wet sand squished between her toes. She could still hear the music pouring from the balcony as she walked. Salsa with a heavy jazz influence.

  Her hips and feet picked up the rhythm and she danced, splashing water as it rolled ashore. A few stray Sandpipers darted in front of her and picked off any minnows she managed to kick up.

  She took a sip of her champagne and wished it was something more tropical, like a daiquiri or a piña colada. Hell, who ever heard of serving pink champagne at a beach wedding? Now, if it had been her wedding, all the guests would be drinking jungle juice out of coconuts, wearing Bermuda shorts, and the band would play good ole’ southern rock. Or calypso–even hula music. She laughed, picturing her sister, Lavonia barefoot in a hula skirt and coconuts instead of the layered clouds of chiffon and satin.

  A weird humming noise interrupted her thoughts and made her shake her head. The sounds was like that white noise thing, only she also could feel the fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. She looked out over the ocean and saw a ball of light shoot from the waves, then zoom straight up into the black sky. She blinked. Took a step into the shallows and gasped as two more of the freaky lights shot from beneath the waves no more than a hundred feet from her and then zipped into the stratosphere.

  What the hell? She’d only had two glasses of the pink stuff, so it couldn’t be a hallucination–could it? She started back toward the hotel, her stride more hurried than before, her eyes on the dark waves. Did UFOs fly underwater?

  Another ball of light moved under the waves, before leaving the ocean. This one appeared to hover just above the water for a fraction of a second. Tingles raced down her spine as she stood frozen in shock, seeing something that couldn’t possibly be. The damn thing glowed and pulsed–like it was alive, and headed straight for her.

  Her sudden paralysis broken, she made a dash for the hotel steps, champagne sloshing onto her dress. The freaky damn thing was gaining on her. In a last ditch effort to buy herself some time, she threw first one high heel, then the other at the odd ball of light. It zigged, then it zagged. The first spiked weapon missed it by inches, but the second heel slapped the edge of the pulsating sphere, and spun it around.

  Lungs near bursting, she flew up the stairs, onto the balcony, pausing only to open the sliding glass doors. She slammed them shut and turned to see everyone had stopped dancing, and were now staring at her.

  She hurried over to her sister. Lavonia and Daniel stood next to his parents. “Did you see it?” She touched her sister’s arm.

  Lavonia turned to her, a grimace on her face as she looked her up and down, her ice blue eyes resting on the stained bodice of Dixie’s dress.

  “Why is it that everything you eat or drink eventually winds up on your chest?”

  “What?”

  Her sister glanced over at her new husband, then back at Dixie. “Do you do it on purpose, to draw men’s eyes there?”

  “Lavonia Maybelle, this isn’t the time or place to argue or do a “poor, pity me” just because your chest is flatter than a pancake! I think I saw a UFO!”

  Lavonia’s mother-in-law gasped. The new father-in-law tried to squelch his grin–and failed. Her sister grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the small group of guests.

  “Do you want them to think we are hillbillies? Where are your shoes? So help me, if you ruin my wedding reception–” Her sister spat out, her perfect teeth gritted.

  “A UFO? Where?” Daniel appeared beside her and cut off his wife’s words.

  “On the beach. I was walking along the shore and I saw this weird ball of light shoot straight out of the ocean, and up into the sky. Then two more did that–and one started coming after me, so I ran back here fast as I could. I threw my shoes at it.”

  “I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t screech out your drunken delusions in front of my new in-laws or the other guests!” Her sister hissed the words like a cat cornered by a big old bulldog.

  “I am not drunk! I only had two glasses of that gawd-awful pink stuff.”

  “God-awful? That champagne is over two hundred dollars a bottle! And don’t think I don’t know what you are up to, Dixie Ashleigh Ames!”

  “Can you show me?” Daniel asked her, then darted a look at his bride. “You don’t mind, do you, honey?”

  Her sister twisted her lips into something that could have passed for a smile, and with pure sugar laced with strychnine, said, “Of course not, darling,” but those laser blue eyes promised evil intent as Lavonia shot a look at her.

  She would have said something to reassure her sister that she wasn’t trying to screw up her wedding, or steal her new husband, but Daniel was already sliding open the glass doors, waiting for her.

  “Thank you for believing me.” Dixie stepped out onto the balcony and leaned over the railing. She spotted her shoes and trod through the heavy sand, then bent to pick them up. Her brother-in law truly was a nic
e man.

  “No problem.” He squatted down to help her when she seemed to lose her balance. No telling what Lavonia would make of such a gallant and harmless gesture.

  “What have we here?” He reached out to touch a trail of tiny shimmering crystals that lay atop the footpath where her right shoe had landed.

  “What is it?”

  “That’s odd. Not sure, but whatever it is, it’s still warm.” He nudged one of the bigger crystals with his fingers. “It looks like bits of fused sea glass or some strange form of quartz.”

  “I don’t remember seeing it before.”

  “Can you point to where the lights were over the ocean?” He stood, brushing the sand and bits of glass from his hands, and turned toward the sea.

  “Yeah, right over there, about four hundred feet away. But that last one surfaced closer, about a hundred feet from the shore–over there, and then chased me.”

  “Along this path?” His eyes followed the invisible line she drew in the air.

  “Yes. What do you think it was?” She moved to inspect the crystals closer. They were pretty and nearly translucent. She scooped up a handful of the sand at her feet, let it run through her fingers, and wondered at the tiny crystals remaining. They did look like quartz...or...? No, it couldn’t be? Could it?

  “Daniel? Do you think a gemologist here on the island could tell us what these are for certain?”

  “I’d guess so. But why? ”

  “I can’t be sure, but I saw this show on TV once, and these crystals sure look a lot like the ones they had.” Dixie looked back down at the clear little crystal stones.

  “What show was it?”

  “Undiscovered Treasures, or something like that. The show had this one part that talked about a state park that’s in Arkansas.”

  “The Crater of Diamonds State Park?”

  She glanced up at Daniel, and nodded. Excitement crowded out her previous fear of the UFOs.

  “Don’t get too excited. It’s probably just sea glass. But you’re welcome to look in a local phone book tomorrow and see if there’s someone in there willing to check them out.” He started back toward the stairs, and then turned. “I know you and Lavonia don’t get along, Dixie. But I also know she loves you.”

  “I know. I love her too.”

  “So, I know you won’t mention the UFO again, or anything else about tonight. I don’t want Lavonia upset on our honeymoon. You understand.”

  “I won’t say another word about the UFOs.” At his stern look, she added, “I promise.”

  * * *

  Rey sat on the beach, his long, bronze-toned body bare except for a pair of faded blue swim trunks. He put on his shades and kept watch. The delectable brunette from the night before had yet to show her pretty face. He rubbed his own face, remembering the spiked heel that same brunette had sent flying toward his head–well, what would have been his head had he been in his human form.

  He’d been mildly amused when his brother worried that someone had seen their departure. Neither he nor his compadres ever worried about being spotted. Any sightings usually got classified as a little too much rum, a little too much sun, and an overactive imagination. But when he got a better look at woman who had seen them, he’d been intrigued. Her aura shone bright as a night star.

  Of course, he didn’t expect her to knock the adamas out of him with her shoe. His brother got a good laugh out of that! It wasn’t until later that he wondered if the little human had been hurt from their encounter. He told himself that—and only that—was the reason he’d decided to check up on her.

  He caught movement near the hotel’s side entrance. It was her! He had to get closer. She took the steps down to the beach two at a time, then walked to the exact spot where she’d hit him with her shoe. Now, she knelt in the sand, scooping up handfuls of it, and emptying her cupped palms into a clear, plastic bag. She snapped the bag shut and stood.

  An overwhelming urge to touch her, flesh to flesh, fought with the common sense that told him to keep away. She headed for the stairs. Desire won out and he made his way over to her.

  “Hello.”

  “Oh!” She spun around and her sandal flew off between the slats of the steps.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. Let me retrieve your shoe for you.”

  “Thank you.”

  He reached through the opening and grabbed the rubber heel. At least she’d changed into less lethal footwear. “You do seem to have a problem keeping your shoes on, don’t you?” He muttered under his breath.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Sorry. Here you go, Ms.–?” He handed her the sandal and their fingers touched.

  “Dixie.”

  The moment stretched, infinite possibilities merged, and he saw the future in her eyes. He knew his people had mated with humans in the past, but he’d never wanted nor expected having more than a fling with any of the females he met on the island.

  “You know, it sure is rude to have somebody tell you their name and not to tell yours back. Didn’t your mama teach you manners?”

  He quirked his lips. “I’m sorry again it seems.” He released the shoe. “I’m Rey.”

  “Rey. Like a drop of sunshine? I like it.”

  “Happy to hear it. Are you here on vacation?”

  “No, my sister’s wedding. Although the ceremony was yesterday and everybody else is leaving to head home today.”

  “You aren’t leaving, I hope? We’ve only just met.”

  “I’m supposed to fly out tomorrow, but I think I might just stick around. I love the island.” She tried to put on her sandal, but lost her balance, and reached out for something solid.

  Her fingers gripped his forearm. Heat rushed straight to his groin. Damn, he’d never wanted a woman as much as he wanted this woman, right now. He curved a hand around her waist, wishing he could tear off the tiny scrap of fabric blocking him from touching her bare skin. He leaned forward and inhaled the lingering, fresh scent of cucumber shampoo.

  “Thank you.” Dixie straightened and backed up a step.

  A shaft a light made the bag she held shimmer. At least ten pure adamas stones were in the see-through baggie along with a bit of sand. He tried to smother a laugh. How could he not be attracted to a woman who literally carried part of him with her? She seemed concerned he’d noticed her little treasure and tried to turn away.

  “Adamas. Quite lovely.”

  “What?”

  “The stones in your bag.”

  “You know what they are?”

  He heard the excitement in her voice. “Yes. You might say I am an expert on adamas.”

  “I’m probably being too forward, but would you like to have lunch with me? My treat. I’d love to hear more about adamas if you’re willing?”

  “I don’t think you forward at all, and it will be my treat to be with you.”

  “Then it’s a date. Oh, but you might need to change clothes. Some places won’t let you in without a shirt on.”

  “I happen to know a perfect place, very quiet, no shirt or shoes required, and the chef is a culinary genius. It will be my treat to take you there.”

  “Is it authentic ethnic food? I’ve got a hankering to try something new.”

  Her eyes sparkled and her little upturned nose made him want to kiss it. The sheer joy of life within her echoed in her aura.

  “I promise you an adventure. Follow me, muchacha.”

  * * *

  “Where is this restaurant? Timbuktu?” They’d walked along the curve of the cay for several minutes, only stopping once they reached the private docks. But she couldn’t complain. She’d followed along behind him enjoying the view. The ocean and beach weren’t bad either. He had the hot, Latin good looks of someone like Mario Lopez or Ricky Martin, yet something about him made her think his heritage wasn’t entirely Latino.

  She knew she should be more wary. A strange man in a foreign country leading her off to a more secluded location on the pretense of taking
her to lunch. He could be a serial killer or a rapist for all she knew. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. She should have agreed to meet him at a crowded public restaurant in town. Or maybe at the hotel’s own restaurant until she got to know him better.

  Damn, her sister was right. She was impulsive.

  Rey must have sensed her second thoughts, because he took her hand in his and pointed toward the docks ahead.

  “See the boat moored at the end of the dock?”

  “You mean the dingy?”

  “That’s our destination.”

  “So I have to fish for my own lunch?”

  He laughed, a full, hearty sound that rolled in timbre. No one who laughed with such good humor and happiness could be evil–right?

  “No, querida. But should you like to fish, I will provide the rod and reel. The dingy is nothing more than a way for us to get to the real boat. I promise my chef will tempt you with his skills.”

  “The real boa–?” She scanned the horizon and finally saw the yacht. “Oh my...”

  “We will be there soon, and you can have whatever you like. And I will tell you more about adamas, si?”

  “Si.” She took both his hands as he helped her into the dinghy.

  “We will soon be there.”

  She watched the play of muscles across his back, as he untied the rope that kept them anchored to the dock. The expanse of smooth, bronze skin made her hands itch. He tossed the rope into the boat, and sat down across from her.

  “Ready?”

  “Very.”

  “Then off we go.” He pulled the cord on the outboard motor.

  Within minutes they’d arrived at the glistening white yacht. Several hands leaned down to help pull her aboard as she climbed the ladder. Three men, each as bronzed and gorgeous as Rey, smiled down at her.

  “Welcome, senorita.” The shortest of the men guide her to a white draped table.

  The place settings were for two. “How did ya’ll know...?”

  A warm hand caressed her back. Rey moved the chair back for her as she sat down. He took the seat across from her, his eyes lingering on her lips.