My Awakening

The Other Stranger

The rest of the week seemed to be uneventful, just average days at work, coffee catch ups. Nothing weird really. I have tried to keep that other morning in the back of my mind, not wanting to acknowledge what happened, or work out how I pushed that sexy Adonis of a man half way across the road, I do however, regularly remember that kiss though, and his musky smell and the feel of his hand running down my neck and across my shoulder. But every day I stare at the Tarot card, the Queen of Wands, and feel like I am moving towards her.  An increasing feeling of unease, and I pulled out my old book of shadows and have been casting protective spells around my apartment, cleansing sage smudge sticks and placing my crystals in certain areas. I feel a bit childish, but I feel powerful and almost like this really is important for me to do. I still have a chuckle to myself, that it’s all mumbo jumbo, then I remember that morning and the power I felt, and I silence my doubt. I still can’t explain simple things, like how I am lighting candles without matches, or why I feel like my protection spells are working. But since I have started playing around with ‘witchcraft’ I haven’t seemed to have had any run ins with anyone.

I feel the temperature drop a bit and look out my window and see rain clouds coming in, I quickly dash outside to grab washing off the line that had been in the sun, it’s still damp. Ï guess into the dryer then”, I sigh as I pop the clothes in the basket. I hear a low chuckle, but when I turn around there is no one around, must have been someone passing by or I am just hearing things. I get inside before it starts raining, and once my clothes are on the dry, I sit down with a tea and a book. I had planned on going for a job, but the rain has killed that idea for this afternoon. ‘

As I start to get comfortable, my phone rings. It’s a private number, I usually don’t answer those, but it’s a weekend and telemarketers tend to call in the evenings. I decide to let it go to voicemail, but I get a sensation that I need to answer, so I do.

“Hello?” I ask.

“Miss Carver, this is Lyle Hudson, I am attorney. I am calling with some bad news.” The male voice says on the other end. I wait for him to continue. “I am calling to let you know that your Great Aunt Elyssia passed away a couple of weeks ago. I am so sorry I wasn’t able to contact you sooner, but she didn’t have any current details for you and you were the only relative she listed in all her documents.” I sit there a bit stunned and confused.

“I am sorry Mr Hudson, but you must have the wrong number, I don’t have an Aunt or Great Aunt Elyssia.” I respond. There’s some paper shuffling in the background before he replies.

“I am speaking with Mordia Jayne Carver, born 3 May 1985 in Cairns?” I suck in a breath, that’s definitely my details. This must be a scam, someone trying to confirm identity. “Parents Mike and Sandra Carver?” the man continues. Yep, my parent’s names as well.

“I’m sorry Mr Hudson, but I can’t confirm any of my details, if this is legitimate I…” He quickly cuts me off. “Oh, I completely understand Ms Carver, let me get my secretary to organize an appointment for you next week and we can go through all the details and I can show you the paper work.” I agree, and he transfers me to a woman and I organize a meeting and what appears to be real firm in the city.

After I hang up I immediately call Mum, to find out whether if she knows anything about a Great Ant Elyssia. Turns out she nor Dad have, but they will ask some other relatives, they seem just as shocked as I am and we all agree it must be a mistake that will be cleared up when I go into the solicitor’s office next week. I decide after that a run in the rain is what I need. I haven’t booked in for a gym class in a few days, so I will need to go tomorrow or I will start getting calls from Jared about missing me in class and guilting me into adding a few more.

The rain is light, but it’s cold, it’s almost June, so I am glad I did add a weather proof light jacket on. It’s keeping me semi dry. As I run, I come up to one of the parks and decide to jog through it rather than stay on the footpath. As I run, I feel him come up to me and jog along side me. This pisses me off, and I slow to a stop and wait for him to turn around, and look at me.

“Who are you?” I demand looking at his back. He is breathing heavily as if he has been running a lot longer than I have been. He turns around and faces me, he is drenched, like he has been out in the rain the whole time, but damn he looks hot. I chew my lip trying to keep my desire unreadable and my emotions on a leash. He moves towards me, and I stand there, trying to keep hold of the anger and frustration. My life is in a tail spin and he has been at the center of it all. He swiftly, but gently pulls me to him and kisses me, I lose myself as I let him envelope me. Before I remember the other morning, and I summon my willpower and try and allow that power like last time to come back and direct it into my hands, I push him off me and try and keep it more in control this time. He seems to be ready this time, but he still ends up a few feet away. I let the power grow and my hands glow brighter as I do.

“Who are you.” I demand again, feeling the power coursing through my body, I try and keep my fear and anxiety down and focus on controlling the power I feel, keeping my attention on him. He looks as me, softly, defeated almost as if he had been trying to hold back his own emotions.

“Blaed.” He barely whispers. “My name is Blaed.” He looks at me, his grey eyes searching, pleading for something. But my emotions are everywhere, from his attacks on me to the phone call I have had this afternoon and this rain, that is now dripping down my spine. All of my frustration and confusion overwhelms me and I scream in frustration as I punch the ground letting the power escape. There is crackling and thunder, and a blackened patch of grass where my fist connected. I release and slow my breathing keeping my eyes closed, and I slowly stand up and he is there staring at me, slightly frightened expression, before his eyes narrow looking at something behind me. He then turns and runs off into the bushland of the park.

A chuckle startles me and I turn around and see the dark eyed stranger smiling at me in amusement. I notice the rain has now stopped and he is impeccably dressed, not a drop of water on him. I scowl at him. “A puppy playing with fire.” He chuckles again. He doesn’t move closer, just smiles at me knowingly, as if I am some inside joke.

“What would you know?” I retort, trying to hide how my body is reacting to this man. Similar to how it has reacted to Blaed.

“More than that wolf clearly. I at least know how to seduce fire.” The last word was nothing more than a breathy whisper in my air as a feel a cool breeze over my skin warming me in a subtle sensual caress. I am left standing there in the park alone; this jog did not help clear my thoughts as all. What the f**k is going on. Then I hear a wolf howl.