Sinful Addictions Ch. 01

White sails dotted the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The sun, at it's zenith, dripped heated rays across my tanned skin. I lay on my stomach, feeling the warmth of the sand radiating through the thin, cotton beach towel. The beach wasn't overly crowded today so that I, at least, felt like I had breathing room. Laziness loosened my muscles and I enjoyed the calm, relaxed feeling. The air was tainted with laughter from the nearby eateries and bars that lay at the edge of the sand. The smells of food mingled with the aroma of the sea.

I had my head down and to one side, my eyes closed but something caused me to open them. A bronzed god in his mid-twenties moved towards me. His muscled body, glistening with some type of tanning oil, glided over the hot sand. I personally never learned how to walk on a beach without feeling clumsy but the man coming towards me, his black hair wet and slicked back, the royal blue swim trunks clinging to his lower body, made it look easy. And I'll be damned if he didn't have a glass of red wine with him.

I rolled onto my back, the white bikini I was wearing showing off my body. He flashed me a smile and I rewarded him with one of my own as I accepted the ruby liquid. "Merci," I said.

"My pleasure," he answered in French accented English.

I let my sunglasses slide down the bridge of my nose and gave him my best lick-your-lips-come-and-get-me stare. "It could be."

His dark eyes roamed over my breasts, across my stomach and down my legs. The smiled that curved his lips was not that of a man about to say no. I was about to ask if he'd like to accompany me back to my hotel when I felt a shift in the atmosphere.

A chill rushed towards me and I watched in disbelief as my wet dream dissolved into swirls of yellows, whites and blues. I climbed to my feet as the warm sand hardened to cold black stone. The sky, sea and surrounding horizon was replaced by silent darkness. The sexy man remained but he was frozen, like pushing pause on the DVD player. The bottom to my bikini lengthened into a full, clinging skirt. A tight frown creased my forehead.

Most people don't know that their dreams can be used as doorways, as long as your powerful enough to open them. Your sleep worlds can be used to their advantage and you wouldn't even be aware of it, thinking that what your experiencing was part of your dream. However, most of these intruders aren't out to do any serious harm. If you yourself are strong enough to be aware of the takeover, most intruders will back off allowing you to regain control. Only the truly diabolical will use your dreams to cause damage or death.

Knowing this I tried to tweak my surroundings. Though the darkness had replaced the beach scene it wasn't complete. We, my hunk and I, were standing in a spotlight of sorts. I tried to push at the light, to send it further out. Nothing happened. Okay, Sasha, don't panic. I tried again, putting a little more will power into it. The light flickered but didn't move. DAMN IT! I scanned the darkness, the realization that I wasn't alone dawning on me. A thread of anger flared across my skin, leaving it feeling warm. "Come out you son of a bitch, I know you're there!" I shouted.

Male laughter was my only reward to my bravery, but I knew who it belonged to. My anger deepened and I breathed one word, "Tannon."

Suddenly he was there, standing beside the mannequin of the other man. Where my French consort had been sculpted and tanned, Tannon was, though muscled, lanky with a creamy complexion. His skin rarely saw the sun. His own black hair was expertly manicured in a business like style. The blue suit, the color of sapphires, was tailored to his build.

His voice was deep and playful, "Hello, beautiful, did you miss me?"

"No."

"Sure you did," he looked disdainful at the dream man. "Is this what you want, some French beach gigolo? Hell, Sasha, he probably can't even spell his own name." His voice held no hint of an accent though I knew that he had been born French himself...of course that had been five hundred years ago.

"Who cares?" I retorted. "I didn't create him for his intelligent conversations."

Tannon waved his hand, banishing the other man away. He looked quite pleased with himself as he stepped closer to me. I stood my ground, spine stiff, a distrustful heated gaze pouring from my eyes. Tannon was a Death Dealer. He worked for the Powers That Be escorting those that passed over to whichever side they belonged to. He spent all most all of his existence in Limbo, the realm that is neither here nor there. In the scheme of things Tannon was neutral. I had...negotiated my way out of his clutches several years earlier.

I was in his debt, or more precisely, in the debt of those he worked for. They had seen me as an asset and had granted me a stay of execution, so to speak. That had been nearly five years ago and as time wore on I had almost convinced myself that it hadn't happened; that I had been hallucinating from lack of oxygen due to being buried alive. But as I watched Tannon stride towards me I realized that I had been fooling myself. It had happened and by the looks of things my creditors wanted to be paid in full.

His hands came up to trail his fingers up and down my arms. I wanted to move back but didn't, I had allowed him to touch more than just my shoulders to seal my fate. His fingers moved to play in the curls of my hair. I kept my face as blank as possible as I studied his expression. A mixture of pleasure and pain shadowed his handsome profile.

Tannon's words came out low and breathy, "What if I told you that I had missed you?"

"I'd call you a lair." Trying to keep my voice as void of emotion as possible.

He shook his head. "No," he said, almost sadly.

"It's been five years, Tannon. You couldn't have missed me that much."

His faced hardened. "I was forbidden from trying to contact you until it was time."

"And I take it the time has come?"

"Maybe I broke the rules."

At that I laughed. "I knew you for two days, Tannon. You've been a company man for hundreds of years. I'm good but not that good. Anyways, intimacy was initiated on your part, remember? It helped but wasn't the deal clincher." That came out a lot bitchy-er than I had meant for it to.

Sadness flashed through his eyes making me sorry that I had said it. It was true that the sex, though terrific, had put Tannon in my corner; it was whatever the Powers That Be saw in me that had kept me from passing over. I wanted to chase the look in his eyes away and I did it the only way I knew how, I kissed him.

It was a mire brushing of lips but the sigh I earned made me glad I did it. I added, "Maybe I missed you a little."

He moved his body more solidly into mine, clearly invading my personal space. I put a bite to my next words, "Not that much, I didn't"

He backed up, his shoulders slumping in disappointment. "Fine, I'm evidently getting no play time"

I just shook my head.

"Straight to business then, but first lets be a little more comfortable, shall we?" A long black leather couch materialized beside us. Tannon flopped down on one end waiting for me to join him.

I stayed standing. "Give me back enough control to at least change what I'm wearing."

"I think you look ravishing," his heated eyes leering at my flimsy attire.

"Tannon."

He gave a small growl of discontent but played the gentleman. My body was suddenly wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt. I let the fact that he hadn't included undergarments go. Hey, at least I wasn't naked.

"Thank you," I said sitting on the other end from him.

His face shifted reflecting a serious scowl. "We're calling in our debt."

"I figured as much."

"Something has occurred that threw Them for a loop."

"Nothing is always black and white, Tannon, little things can throw off what will be."

He gave a look that clearly said they all knew that. "This, however, can be used to our advantage; a chance to put you in a position that will help keep the balance. I can't give you all the details, not yet."

"Why not? Details are always good."

"The Fates want you to have free choice when the time comes; to see how you'll decide. I can tell you; though the ball is in motion the outcome isn't set."

I sat staring at him. "Tannon, your giving me a headache. Quit pussy-footing around and just tell me."

"I can't, I'm sorry."

"That makes no fucking sense. Why would They send you to me if you can't tell me shit?" I was shouting at him, my voice being absorbed by the darkness so that it sounded like it stopped dead. Then it hit me, "They didn't send you, did They? You really did break the rules, just enough to give me a heads up."

"I'll be your liaison because we have history but our first meeting won't happen until They feel you have enough information."

I rubbed my hands over my face, confusion and irritation mingling in my mind. "When's all this suppose to start?" I asked.

A phone rang, the shrillness slicing through my body. It pulled me towards the surface, the darkness being broken by tiny beams of light. Dimly I heard Tannon's reply. "It already has."

I hit full reality with a jerk, my body coming off the bed. I felt disoriented; my bedroom was dark shadows, contorted light. I was already reaching for the phone when it rang again. "What?" I demanded. The red digital numbers on the clock told me it was a few minutes after four in the morning, never a good time to receive a call.

"Sasha?" The confused voice belonged to my little brother, Tyler.

"Yeah Ty, it's me. What's wrong?" My stomach was in a tight knot, the reminisce of the "dream" still clinging to my brain. I silently prayed to any deity that was listening: Not Tyler, please not Tyler.

"Um, I know your busy but is there anyway you could come for a ...um, visit?"

He sounded nervous and unsure of himself.

"What is it Tyler? Do you need money? A lawyer? Did you get some girl pregnant?" Even to myself I sounded hurried and scared but these were all easy things I could help fix. Please let it be door number one.

"Jesus, Sasha, isn't it a little early to be high? No, I need to talk to you about something and it's to hard to say it over the phone, so please."

"Let me get this straight," I said, anger leaking into my voice. "It's four in the fucking morning, you woke me up to tell me you need to talk but you won't tell me about what. So now you expect me to wait patiently to hear whatever it is until we're face to face. You do realize that by the time I get to Reno I'll be having a coronary thinking up all sorts of horrific things your going to tell me?" I was almost shouting the last part.

"Um...yeah, I think. I mean, that was a question right?" Tyler sounded calmer, confused but calmer. Nothing like having your big sister have a fit to brighten your mood.

I sighed. "Yes, it was a question." I closed my eyes and leaned back against the headboard. "Let me tie up any loose ends here and I'll try to be there early this afternoon. I'll make it so that I can stay for a few days without stressing about shit here. You do want me to stay a few days right?"

"Yeah, that would be great, thanks Sasha. I really appreciate it...see you soon." I could still hear him breathing so I knew he hadn't hung up. "I love you, Sasha." There was a touch of sadness to his voice that did nothing for my fears.

"I love you too, baby brother, and remember I'm here for you. I always have been. There's nothing that you and I can't over come together, the Black's can kick anything's ass. Okay?"

Tyler gave a small snort, "Yeah, okay. Bye Sasha." The dial tone let me know he was no longer on the other end.

Terrific, just terrific. How was I suppose to concentrate on the business at hand when I would be stressing about Tyler. Until I saw him, touched him, I would be fretting uncontrollably. I glanced again at the clock on the night stand. There was no use trying to get back to sleep might as well get my day started. I swung out of bed and made my way towards the bathroom but a photo of Tyler and me stopped me in my tracks.

I was five when Tyler was born and the bond that I felt between us was strong and immediate, like a tether of sorts. I've been protecting him ever since. No matter how bad it's gotten we've always had each other, and let me just say; it's gotten pretty damn bad. To know the type of people that we are you have to understand where we came from, which unfortunately means starting with the people that created us.

Allen Brody was born into a wealthy family, the second son to a prominent banker and an old money debutant. He rebelled, going against everything they stood for: you know, education, work ethics, the finer things in life. His life was consumed by drugs, alcohol and sex. That's how he met Vivien Black. My mother was middle-class average and she hated it. Hated not always having the best and then being expected to be okay with that. Most of all, she hated herself. Vivien was a sixth generation witch; first born daughter to the first born daughter, and so on. I never knew where her powers lay; she refused to speak of it. Viv used outside stimulants to dampen her magic, she stayed drunk or high, numbing herself.

I was born in the summer of 1980, and to be honest, I wasn't well received. Vivien had hoped that by ignoring her powers the Fates wouldn't pass any magic through her. She wanted her first born to be a boy, to break the cycle. Evidently no one informed my poor mother that you can't out run your destiny and you sure as hell can't out run the Fates. Allen, on the other hand, saw me as the end to his freedom. I was a hindrance to his partying, poor Daddy had to go out and get a job.

We'll fast forward five years, trust me when I say nothing happened, to Tyler's birth. Unlike my coming into the world, Ty's was a joyous occurrence. Where Vivien had done as little as possible for me, with Tyler she was almost the perfect mother (at least in the beginning). I've never hated my mother, she made her choices as we all do and I, for one, have no right to criticize her for them. I wouldn't be the person I am today if she'd been someone else. But let me say this, I may not have hated my mother but I do hate my father. I blame him for my childhood, or lack thereof. I was never a kid, I grew up in a hurry so that I could survive. I blame Allen for keeping Vivien hooked to the drugs and alcohol that her body almost seemed to crave. I never understood how anybody could look at her and not see the trouble she was in. I pitied her and she knew it, she could see it in my eyes and for Vivien, that was another sin against me.

It may be wrong but I don't care, the best thing that could have happened for me and Tyler was the death of our mother. Her body couldn't keep up with the poisons she took. The doctors said cancer, I said karma. I'm afraid to think of how we might have turned out if she hadn't passed away when she did. She passed away two months before my fifteenth birthday, Allen stopped coming home two days before that date. He left a note that simply said he didn't know what to do with us. That he couldn't look at us and not see her. To me it was no big deal, but to a nine year old boy it was devastating. I became Ty's everything, giving up any thought of myself having a life and devoting myself to him. That was eleven years ago and I've been keeping Tyler safe ever since.

I wandered into the bathroom, a sheen of depression clouding my mind. I hadn't come up against any thing yet that I couldn't handle, I just hoped I wasn't about to meet my match.