After getting the kids ready for the day and feeding them breakfast, Daniel found himself standing on the wrap around porch with a cup of coffee in his hand as he did so many mornings now that Calla was gone. He’d come out here and stare out at the rising sun trying to find a way to face another day without his wife. A car pulled into the driveway, one he didn’t recognize, Daniel stayed on the porch and watched the driver get out.

A sleek little Corvette if there ever was one, Rowan MacNeal, long strong legs leading the way, slithered from the driver’s seat of the Audi. “Hi, Daniel.” She said in a soft voice as she strode over to where he stood. “I hope I’m not interrupting you.”

“No.” Daniel returned. “What do you want?” She was on the porch now.

“I heard about your wife,” Rowan began and reached for his hand, “I wanted to express my condolences.”

“Really?” Daniel snickered. “Doesn’t sound like you. Weren’t you the one who wanted me to leave her and run off with you?”

“Still do.” She cooed. Daniel hadn’t expected it in the least so when she leaned in and planted a big wet one on him he didn’t react right away. No, he just stood there and let her kiss him for a few moments. Rowan, her dark hair pulled back in a pony tail for the day, broke the embrace to look at him. “I know my timing is horrible,”

“You don’t have a chance.” Daniel told her. “My wife…..” he was right on the edge of saying ‘My wife is still alive’ and then bit it back. As much as his heart wanted to believe that he couldn’t prove it. “I still love my wife.” Daniel stepped away from her. “You should go.”

“Of course.” She told him and smiled warmly. “I didn’t mean to intrude or to push you. When you’re ready, Daniel, you have my number.” Rowan made her way from the porch to the car and drove off with a smile and wave to him.

“What the fuck?” He said to himself and took a long sip of the hot brew in his cup hoping it would clear the taste of her lips from his mouth. “Where the hell did she come from?”

“Daddy?” Nicky said as the door opened. “Who was that lady?”

“No one, Nicky.” Daniel turned to look down at his son. “Just someone I knew a long time ago. You ready to get going?”

“Yep.”

“Go get your sister; it’s just about time to leave.” Daniel and his son went back into the house to get ready to face another day. They never saw the bushes across the street moving as they turned away.

“Daddy?”

“Yeah, Nicky.”

“That’s the lady in mommy’s dreams.”

Daniel stopped short and stooped to look at his son. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Nicky kicked his feet against each other and the porch.

When Nicky first told him about Calla’s nightmares he thought the woman his son was describing was Sha’re but it wasn’t. It was Rowan. “What did she do in mommy’s dreams?” Nicky sort of pulled into himself not wanting to talk about it. “It’s ok, you can tell me, Nicky. You can tell me anything.”

“She kissed you and…” he looked down at his shuffling feet again. “She was laughing with the black man with the braids. Laughing at mommy.” His dark little eyes looked up at his father for help. “Mommy was crying. She was scared.” Nicky reached out and hugged his arms around Daniel’s neck. “They always scared her so much and now she’s gone.” He started to cry. “I guess she don’t haveta be a scared of dem no more.”

“Yeah.” Daniel soothed but his stomach turned and his heart jumped and he tried to reassure his son. Mommy was still afraid of them, he was sure of it. Somewhere out there she was crying and scared. All of his friends didn’t want to listen to him. They all kept insisting she was dead and gone but he knew different. He just knew it but no one wanted to help him and no one would believe him.

End of Chapter Two
Daughter of the Gods: Captured
Continue to
Chapter Three