In the Dreamscape series, there always seems to be a lot of skirmishes spaced out between periods of pending chaos. That’s not an apology; it’s more of a prediction. I confess to sprinkling in a few lighter moments in the slack periods in ‘pending chaos’ to catch one’s breath. That’s not an apology or trolling for gratitude. Still, it is proof that there is a microcosm of personalities dying to bring levity to a situation, adding more color to these characters.
Russ and Cara are an item; rather, they will be, they just haven’t acted on the feelings that frighten them. It’s almost funny to see two very strong-willed people dancing around an attraction they both feel, but are too bull-headed to drop their self-condemnation long enough to see how things play out. Here’s an excerpt in living color…
Alpha Status – Forty-five minutes later, Russ walked into Bingo’s and took a broadside blast from Pete, the owner and the creative genius behind the best chili on the planet. Pete bellowed, “Well, look what the cat done drug in! Good ta see you’re among the living, my man. Still a bit on the ugly side, but alive. I thought maybe you got yerself blowed up over to the Psych lab the other day.”
“Love you right back, Pete! It’ll take more than a little C4 to blow me up. Say, how did you know about the lab getting leveled?”
“C’mere, homeboy!” Pete wrapped his arms around Russ as far as his girth permitted and squeezed him like a father embraces a son. He took Russ by his upper arms and looked him in the eyes. “Don’t want to lose you, brother; you’re not like the rest of these punk-ass boys a runnin’ ‘round here. You’re a man. I realize you’re only a land squid, but I knows a man when I sees one.”
“Marine!” corrected Russ.
“My ass,” retorted Pete, “Where do you think Marines come from, boy?” Pete held out his forearm to highlight the Navy SEALs insignia, featuring eagle wings over an anchor tattoo. “You’re from the best; jus’ don’t forget yer roots.”
Russ hugged the man back like a son hugged his father. “Love ya, Pete, despite you being a senior papa squid. Seriously, how did you hear about the lab attack?”
“Word comes ‘round here, right quick. I heard the professor spent time in the hospital. She gonna be okay?”
“Yeah, she had a pretty bad concussion, but has recovered. She’ll be joining me shortly for some of your chili. Is the cornbread hot and fresh?”
Pete snorted his signature snort and growled, “Name me one time it ain’t been fresh and hot, boy. Sit yer sorry ass down. Yer disruptin’ my day,” said Pete, spinning on his heel and turning away to make things final.
Russ sat down at the same instant Carly Madison, Russ’ ex-girlfriend, and three of her posse came through the door. She spotted him immediately and walked toward his table, waving her friends away to find another table. Without invitation, she pulled out the chair opposite him and plopped down. “It’s so good to see you, Russell,” she said with no shortage of singsong hatred hiding under a forced smile.”
“It’s nice for you to see me, Carly,” he responded with his best sarcasm. Nodding toward her friends, he asked, “So…are lesbians running in packs these days?”
“Only when we’re hunting, Russell, only when we’re hunting.” Her smile was somewhere between venomous and vicious. “Speaking of hunting, how’s your love life these days?”
“His love life is fine,” said Cara, having just walked in and stood behind Russ in time to overhear part of her derisive question. He turned to look up at her, and she leaned down and kissed him. “Now that he’s in the right hands of the right woman, that is. You’re dismissed to go and grab ass with your little friends, sweetie.” Cara gave Carly the universal sign of a backhanded flip to beat feet.
“Bitch,” said Carly, standing to leave.
“Alpha bitch to you, sweet cheeks!” mocked Cara.
Russ sat there, stunned in open admiration with a wide grin on his freshly kissed lips. “Dang, did you just dispatch the queen lesbian or what? It almost sounded like you were moving in to defend your turf.”
“It’s not about turf. I feel like you’re worth protecting, Marine! Get used to it or go find another table,” she postured and sat down opposite him.
Pete lumbered up, grabbed Cara off her chair, and squeezed her as tightly as his short arms allowed. “Missy, I’ve wanted to see that little wench get her comeuppance for a long time. Well done, lady!”
He nodded at Russ, winked, and turned back to Cara, looking into her eyes as he spoke, “You’ve got yerself a good man in this one. Treat ‘im right, or I’ll ban you from the chili emporium I got goin’ on here.”
“You think I come here for the chili?” she asked in mock surprise. “Food comes in a distant second when I can walk into an upscale diner like this one and get hugged by a handsome black man like yourself. I know who’s got the big heart here, mister.”
Russ took his turn to snort and would swear he saw Pete blush. “Easy, Pete, she’s a tough one and, as you may have heard, has just recently proclaimed herself the alpha bitch in these parts.”
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Book #2 – “Beyond Dreamscape…” – Video – Review
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