Unearthly Power by R. K. Read Free Book Online Page B

the up arrow and waited. They stood in silence, all four of them staring at the illuminated numbers above the door as it went through its progression. When the door opened, an elderly couple smiled as they walked past them. They stepped inside and he pressed the button for the top floor. Tori stood close to Sean. He could smell her womanly scent which was highlighted by a mild yet pleasing perfume. He turned to look at her out of reflex and she returned the look with a smile. The door opened and they followed him a short distance to the entryway of the restaurant. Dee saw a payphone mounted on the wall and said she needed to call her boss. The others went inside.
    The breeze had died down and the early evening air was pleasant. A three piece band was setting up in one corner and they were shown to a table nearby. They could look across the tops of smaller buildings to see the ocean. It looked calm and unmoving from this distance. They were all underdressed for the establishment, but that thought never entered their mind as they enjoyed their surroundings. When the British accented maître d’ showed them to their table, Tori took a seat immediately next to Sean as they were given their menus. Sean was still trying to process her behavior. He didn’t put too much thought in her choice of seating as two of the three remaining seats were next to his. The odds were on his side. Uncharacteristically, he found himself disturbed by this young woman. He decided he would take it easy on the drinks. No sense in making a complete ass of myself .
    The waiter arrived to take their orders as soon as Dee sat at the table. He started with the women. After he finished with them he looked at Alex and then at Sean. Sean was the only one who didn’t order alcohol.
    Tori reached over and placed her hand on his, “You can’t let us drink alone. Order something or it’ll make me feel uncomfortable,” she pleaded with him.
    It was rare indeed when he refused a drink. It was impossible to recall a time when he turned one down after being solicited in such a way by a lovely lady. He ordered a Mt. Gay and cola.
    Alex and Dee talked about the trip and what she could do to assist them. Tori listened in as Sean watched the band prepare for their set. By the time their salad came he had finished his drink. The girls still had plenty of wine in their glasses and Alex had half of his beer left. If he had taken a moment to think about it, he probably would have waited until his food came before he ordered another and instead rehydrate himself with some water. That didn’t happen. The day had been enjoyable, the company was nice, and the scenery was perfect. They ate their meals at a leisurely pace, talking as they did. By the time they finished their dinner, the stars had slowly started to appear in the sky. It was a luminous evening as the waxing moon reflected its light off the surface of the ocean.
    Dee asked Alex to dance. He agreed and they went to the small dance floor as the band played a rhythmic Latin song. One of the ironies about Alex was that although he was generally antisocial, he was in fact a good dancer. Dee had been watching her brother all day. He was his normal self, but he was also acting a bit strangely. By dinnertime, she had seen enough of the cryptic smiles and subtle actions being exchanged by Tori and her brother to know something was happening between them, even if he didn’t. In time, they too made their way onto the floor. Now Dee knew she was right as Sean never danced. Sean was thinking the same thing himself when he accepted her invitation. By then he knew he had had too much to drink. That was the only time he ever sang or danced; both were acceptable as long as he had no recollection of either after the fact.
    He held her at a comfortable distance as they danced slowly. She closed that gap almost immediately and moved along with the motions of his body. The physical contact between them elicited an excitement through