Reunion Read Online Free Page A

the earth. The leaves felt like feathers against his skin and the wilted petals of the roses like kisses.
    A car, minus a muffler, sped by on the road beyond, rattling its way through the night. At the sound, his fingers curled into mighty fists; then he raised his head, searching the night. There was no one in sight. Tension slid away as weariness hit him. He was tired. So tired. And his head was aching.
    “Mother…Mother, can’t find you.”
    He curled in upon himself, wishing himself back into familiar surroundings. But somehow he’d gotten himself lost and forgotten how to get back.
    “Help me.”
    No one answered. No one came. He sat like that for hours, until the moon was high in the midnight sky. Suddenly a light appeared at the far end of the locked gates at the end of the road. Panic came upon him, and for a moment, he froze, uncertain of what he should do.
    Then he remembered a day long ago and his mother telling him that when he was afraid, he was to run to her, that she would take care of him always.
    He looked down at the roses upon which he was sitting. Mother liked roses. He began gathering a bouquet, careful to get only the ones with no thorns.
    A night bird swooped just beyond his line of vision as he knelt among the tombstones, but he knew it was there. He felt the air move at its passing. Overhead, a bank of clouds slipped between the heavens and earth, momentarily blocking out the luminous glow of a three-quarter moon.
    By the time the car had turned around, he was gone.
     
    The red light was no longer flashing on the security panel inside the Connor home. The French doors leading out to the flagstone patio beyond the library were standing ajar. Outside, a wind had sprung up, bringing with it the scent of rain.
     
    The streets were quiet. In this neighborhood, at this time of the morning, traffic was nonexistent. He liked the silence. It made him feel good. It made him feel safe. His stomach grumbled, reminding him of his hunger. Up ahead, he could see lights spilling out from a building. At the thought of food, his steps quickened, and then he saw movement from the corner of his eye. A woman walked out of the shadows, and his heart leaped.
    “Mother?”
    Her laugh was low and husky. “Now, honey, do I look like your mommy?”
    He frowned. She didn’t look like Mother. Mother had short hair and smelled good. This woman’s hair was long and black, and there was a scent about her he didn’t quite like. But she smiled, and he was so tired and hungry. He stopped.
    She ran her hand up the length of his arm and then glanced down at the flowers and the bag he was carrying.
    “Ummm-hmmm, you know just what women like, don’t you, hon? You come to my place. For twenty dollars, I’ve got just what you like, too.”
    She held out her hand, and he took it. Because he was tired. Because he was hungry.
    The stairs where she led him were steep and narrow. The door to her apartment had once been a bright, fiery red. The color had faded, and the paint was peeling, but the message was still the same. She unlocked the door and then walked inside, pulling him in behind her.
    The room smelled like she did. Unwashed and smoky. He wrinkled his nose.
    “Smells bad.”
    She frowned and then grinned wryly. “Before I get through with you, you won’t care what you smell, only how Gloria can make you feel.”
    With that, she ran her hand down the front of his pants and unzipped the zipper, feeling him for size. As she did, he hardened beneath her touch.
    “Ooh, hon, you’ve got yourself quite a pecker. Normally I don’t indulge, but I might want some of that myself.”
    This wasn’t what he’d expected, but what she was doing felt good. He forgot his hunger and stared down at her hand inside his pants, but when she lowered her head, he took a quick step backward, muttering more to himself than to her, “No, no.”
    She straightened up, her eyes narrowing. This one was jumpy, but damn, he was good-looking. It