SteeleKizz, Inc

Sweet Dreams

Jaxon - 1980

It was a dark, cloudy autumn night, the wind had a wintry chill to it. Jaxon had been Katarina’s escort to a handful of different social gatherings and one cringe-worthy adult art auction over the course of several months moving into  years. He’d learned that Katarina had been bidding on several of the girls, but he hadn’t seen her make a motion or transaction for any of them. Then again, as she navigated the crowded room, who knows, she could have without him realizing it. He’d yet to see her take one behind closed doors like so many of the other’s had. He was leery of anything beyond closed doors.  Deep within his gut it all felt like a bad omen.

This evening Kat had gone away for the weekend, leaving Jaxon to navigate on his own again. He enjoyed these type of weekends when he wasn’t latched to her arm or on a leash, parading him around like an animal or f**k trophy.

No, this evening, he’d planned on walking as far away from the house and along the wooded perimeter that he could escape to. He hadn’t heard from Nessa in nearly a year at this point and was worried that something had happened to her. He couldn’t figure out why she hadn’t visited him, but determined it may have been for the best considering the situation he’d gotten himself into.

Jaxon had spied on the guards determining their patrol routes and times so that he could evade them. He had yet to determine how many acres this property was, but wanted to take different sections each time. He would change up where he would sneak off to for each cardinal direction. That night, he wanted to head east. He knew that the beaches and shoreline were to the east and he wanted to see if this property would end near the ocean or some body of water.

It was a long walk through the dense set of trees. The full moon’s bright light limited his vision to see where he was going. He would be oddly surprised if he didn’t run into any wildlife with the thickness of this terrain. He’d heard the hoot of an owl, scurrying of small foraging creatures, but he’d yet to spot anything bigger than a rabbit.

A good portion of the night had gone when he finally reached what he assumed was the farthest end of the eastern property line. It was a tall rocky overlook of the seaside city in the distance. Below, was a winding road that seemed to come from the city and possibly at the back, northern end of the property. Jaxon hadn’t heard any traffic from that area, but it could be the road was farther away and muffled by the trees. He sat for a while watching the full moon’s reflection on the watery horizon before heading back. He thought to himself that this would make a nice place for a romantic dinner on a full moon.

Looking at the time on his watch, he made his way back to the house hoping to beat the early morning light. About half a football field from the treeline and neatly trimmed lawn, he crouched down watching the guards make their last round before changing shifts. A cold chill crept down his back. He turned to look and see what may have caused it, but no one was there and the guards were out of sight. He shook his head to get rid of the feeling, even though it tickled at the nape of his neck. Once the coast was clear, he dashed to the side entrance to the kitchen. He’d left it cracked knowing that Tabitha had fell out hard last night and wouldn’t wake for another hour or so. He knew he’d be safe to enter through the kitchen. Plus, if he ran into any one on the way back to his room, he could use the excuse that he was thirsty and show a glass of milk as proof. In all, it wasn’t a lie. He was thirsty and getting some milk on the way back to his room. Just what he did before that, wouldn’t be exposed.

The house was quiet except for the occasional guards who nodded when they saw him and he raised the glass of milk. He casually strolled his way back to his room, locking the door behind him as he came in and shut the doors. He placed the glass on the desktop. He went to the one of the near floor to ceiling windows and seated himself on the window ledge. Resting his head back, he enjoyed the breeze from the southwest, a storm was rolling in and he’d had the perfect view of the lightning. He left the window open until it started raining.

Running his fingers through his hair, he stretched his body this way and that, realizing he wasn’t in the same physical condition he had been in school. He realized he needed to start exercising to keep fit and trim. The last thing he wanted to do was get out of shape. Finishing off his milk, he placed it back on the desk and flopped down on the bed.

It wasn’t long before he’d reached a deep REM sleep. He hadn’t realized just how tired he was from that walk.

He opened his eyes and looked around. The velvety black sky was littered with stars and the sounds of crashing waves sounded closer than they looked. His hands were laced together with the back of his head resting on them. The before storm chilling air was a bit warmer and the stars just ever so brighter.

“What have you done, boyo?” said an enchanting voice somewhere past his feet out of sight. “Beautiful view, but still I’ll ask why?”

Jaxon sat up looking around to confirm he was at the overlook. Nessa stood with her bare toes dangling off the edge. He wondered how he had gotten here from his room.

“I could ask the same, but, I guess you want my answer first,” he responded.

“Good choice, Jaxon.” Nessa turned her head to look back at him laying on the ground.

He sighed, his shoulders lifting up and down with his breathing. “She gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

“Which was?” Nessa had turned from the cliff and walked towards Jaxon. She placed her hand upon his forearm. “Wasn’t it something that you could have given it time for?”

Jaxon shook his head. “I want to travel. I want to be able to go to college or learn a trade. My parents can’t afford my dreams, Nessa.”

“No other way?” she insisted.

“Not unless I joined the military. That was my final choice, before she offered me the answer to my dreams. How could I not?”

Jaxon gave her a pleading look. “If you’d have waited until I came back to you, we could have resolved that too. Jaxon, you’re impatient. I warned you that something bad was going to happen. You’re stubborn and impatient, boyo.”

He looked down at the ground, her bare feet standing toe to toe with his sneakers. He raised an eyebrow perplexed at why he was wearing shoes.

“I suppose you’re right,” he said softly. “I just know that my parents can’t afford what I want to do. Much of it would have required travel expenses. Uh..”

“I just want to see the world, Nessa,” he said exasperated.

She reached up and cupped his head in her hands. “Jaxon, what I had, have planned, would have given you that. I don’t know what gifts you’ll receive when I turn you, but I know whatever you get it’ll be accelerated because of my age. Or so many of our elders have said when they sired their children. Who knows, you could travel through time or fly.”

She lifted his chin and raised his eyes to hers. The brightest of blues shining at him. “You are nearly all that I have left to remind me of my Avi. I want to bring you into my world. Share with you all that I can see and what I’ve experienced. My dear, Jaxon.”

She continued looking at him. “There is also something else I must tell you. Avi’s wife, Muriel, has come closer to finding you. She’s now using more human methods to acquire where you are. I fear that this situation you’re in now, may just be the key she needs. That means for me to protect you, I must change you sooner than I had wanted.”

Jaxon gave a slow nod. “I understand, Nessa. I was, but I wasn’t thinking. Forgive me?”

Nessa smiled softly at him with her pale pink lips. “Jaxon, I may not always agree with you, but there is one thing you may count on. You’ll be like the child Avi and I could have had under the right pretenses. I wish nothing but the best for you. For that, I’ll give you my gift of eternal life.”

Jaxon tensed under her words knowing that she’d protect him no matter the circumstances. “When will we begin this change, you speak about?”

“Soon. Very soon, Jaxon. For now, sleep, you’ve had a hard night and this dream will tire you. I will return and we’ll start the process. Leave a window open for me, if you will. As the first snow falls, I’ll return.”

She placed a kiss on his cheek dropping her hands. She took one look at him before heading to the edge of the cliff and like a wisp of cloud vanished. Jaxon watched as everything around him turned to dark.

A knock upon his door startled him. He bolted up from his bed and looked around. The storm had arrived and rain was pouring into his room.

“Master Steele!” said Oliver. Jaxon dashed to his window and closed it. He then headed to his door and rubbed his sleepy eyes at the butler.

“Yes?” he asked.

“It’s raining and the guards alerted me that your window was open. I was coming to close it for you, but the door was locked.”

Oliver looked over Jaxon’s shoulder at the now closed window. “Oh thank the heavens,” he said, putting his hand over his chest. “All is well now. It’s still late. Get more rest. The lady of the house will be home around noon tomorrow.”

Jaxon gave a slight wave of his hand and closed the door behind him. Even though he was tired, the warning that Nessa gave him echoed in his head. He had much to think about and prepare.