"LILY!" Aurora's voice sounded very loud in the open space, "You clean up good!"

Lily smiled indulgently and turned in a circle before the assemblege.

"Why, thank you!" Lily joined the group and they all caught up on their lives to date. After they had gotten to the nitty gritty, they focused on Lily's problem . She felt as though she were running a gauntlet. Not that she minded or cared that Aurora knew or teased her, really. It was more that she was afraid she would remember something else she couldn't handle. No great secret suppressed memories surfaced during the retelling , however, and the evening continued with much gaiety. It was very early in the morning when Lily was awakened by Magnus, lifting her in his brawny arms. Lily closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. She snuggled into his shoulder ad smiled to herself at the clean, crisp smell of him. Partly fabric softener, partly cologne. Partly man, her inner mind chimed in. Her pulse quickened and she felt a tingling in her stomach as she thought about what it would feel like to touch this beautiful boy all over and have him touch her in return. All too soon they were at her door and he was laying her on the bed, to sleep. Lily sighed and murmered "Thank you, Do I get a goodnight kiss? " the alcohol was telling on her. There was nothing like a little drink to loosen Lily up. She became very flirty and open to suggestion. She usually did not indulge, but feeling safe with K, she allowed herself this luxury. It was one she could ill afford at any other time or place. Magnus himself wore a mask of surprise. He had been briefed on Mistress Lily and understood her to be a "one man woman". Her drunken come on must be just that. He smiled at her sweetly, for he really liked her, but , his controlling Mistress, Mistress K, must be obeyed, and he came close and whispered to her so she could feel his breath on her lips, " of course." Their eyes locked, her deep, chocolate brown eyes dilated with desire and looking like reflecting glass.

His were cool green, like grass, and ringed with emerald. His lashes were dark and loing, his nose was straight and slightly pugged at the end. He had a well defined cupid's bow and full pouty lips. Red hair, cropped close with long sideburns completed this picture of young manhood. As he tilted his head toward her she closed her eyes and soon felt his warm lips on hers in a gentle caress. He kissed her softly again, then sensing her rising desire, kissed her once more, this time caressing her tongue with his, exploring her mouth with his tongue to excite her and tease her. One, two, more soft kisses, then Magnus pulled himself up and took a few deep breaths before speaking.

"Anything else, M'lady?" he asked huskily, and with a touch of hopefulness.

Lily looked at him, and was filled with longing to taste this sweet morsel, but her nature was to be true and though she and Daniel were not formally attached, they always felt as though no formality was needed. Magnus was able to see this stuggle take place on her face, clicked his heels together and bowing, stated "Allow me to tuck you in, M'lady. It wouldn't be gentlemanly of me to do anything more for a lady in your, ahem, condition. " Lily smiled, glad she didn't have to say yea or nay and allowed him to tuck her under the covers. He quietly made his way to the door, then turned and looked at her for a long moment before slipping out the door. He wants me, Lily thought drunkenly to herself before giggling out loud at her own ego. Who cares, she thought. How hard is it to conquer a house pet anyway. Hmmph. He was attracted to me, he was affected by their kisses. Mmmmmmm, she smacked her lips in rememberance. His smoothly shaven face stroking hers, the clean warm smell of him. Sinking into a sensual revarie she drifted off to sleep. The only dream she had that night was of standing in a kissing booth and every man in line had the mystery man's body and Magnus' face.

*end chapter

The next few days passed uneventfully. Lily found the relaxing, sensual energy of Katherine's house a haven and felt more refreshed than she had in years. She hadn't had any more dreams about the man and in a perverse way, she almost missed him. Like a sore tooth your tongue won't leave alone, until it's sore too, she went over and over the dreams in her mind. Walking into the lunarium late one night, she gazed heavenward and picked out a star. Is he looking at this star too, and wondering if I'm looking at it? God, what a dreamer you are!, the sensible tough side of her mind barged in. Piss off logic, she thought, I'm talking about emotion here. She wondered for the millionth time in her life if everyone incessantly chattered to themselves, and answered. Lily was quiet for a moment, but no little voices in her head volunteered anything, so she felt as though she must be at least halfway sane. Of course, sanity argues that these dreams may not be about a real person. Maybe this is some movie I saw as a child, or an amalgam of characters from books she had read. She closed her eyes and struggled with herself trying to remember. Sighing she opened her eyes and looked back out at the stars. She had once read a book where the people sent their thoughts to each other on light, any light, even starlight, though it was risky and this is what Lily was thinking as she willed her thoughts out to the stars. "Come my dangerous darling, hide from me no more. Tis but the truth I would know. Come to me, and gently please. Let me know you." This sort of spell done, she shuffled off to her room for the night. In the time that followed before the reunion, she dreamt of him no more.

Most of the next week followed uneventfully. Days were filled with shopping, eating, visiting. Nights were for parties with friends. The day before the reunion was filled with visits to various salons. Spa, facial, massage, manicure, pedicure, wash and set for her updo. Lily was lolling in the chair with slices of cucumber on her eyes, half daydreaming. If having a pedicure didn't tickle so much, she would have been asleep. She could hear someone walking across the floor on heels and a woman's voice, apparently speaking to a companion in quiet shoes, asked, "So how does it look?" " Almost as beautiful as you, darling."

A man's voice replied smoothly. Instantly Lily was awash with a prickling sensation that started in her belly and shot out her fingers and toes. It was accompanied by the dropping sensation one gets in their stomach going down a sharp hill or on a roller coaster. This was not an observable state and Lily maintained control of herself internally. I know that voice, she thought, her heart beating so hard she was sure anyone could see it leaping from her chest like in a cartoon. It's him. With trembling fingers she casually raised a cuke from her eye and gazed toward the door. THe bright sunlight glaring off the sparkling logo on the door conspired to hide the couple's identities and her curiosity went unappeased. Lily felt at once hot and headachy and sort of sick in general. She expressed this to the manicurist at her feet and was back in her shoes and out the door in fifteen minutes. Thoughts whirled about and crashed into each other making one hell of a racket in her brain. It made it difficult to concentrate on driving. "Okay, okay, steady now," Lily mentally coached herself "straight down the road, almost home, don't kill yourself now." Well, she thought, either I am losing my mind, or that was my mystery man. That narrows down who it could be. Or does it? It is a small world, but that would be almost too coincidental. It fits that he's someone here in town. Someone I know. Her head was really beginning to pound as she pulled into the driveway. Magnus met her to take her parcels into the house.

"Are you alright, M'lady? Shall I avenge your honor somehow?" Lily looked at him in surprize, "Why? Do I look like I've been assulted in some way?"

"Actually you do, your eyes are all puffy and red and bruised looking." Horrified, Lily grabbed the side mirror of the van and looked at her reflection. She stared in stunned silence. Her eyes did look blacked. Her head pounded furiously, her heart pounding faster now. She told Magnus to go get Katherine, they were going to the hospital. Katherine came out of the house and lept into the van. She tore out of the driveway at breakneck speed causing Lily to grab her head in agony and tell her to slow down or she'd kill her before they got there. It was several hours later when they pulled back into the driveway. Aurora came out of the house to await them and Dog skittered behind her. Magnus, Michael and and Winston followed and Lily mumbled to Katherine, "Great, a welcoming party." Katherine threw a glance at Lily and could see she was still heavily sedated. Motioning to Magnus to come assist Lily, Katherine got out of the van and assured everyone they would be filled in as soon as they all got inside but Lily was currently zonked. The physicians at the ER could find no clinical reason she should be experiencing this peri orbital bleeding, despite the symptoms. They ran tests on her clotting factors, a non conclusive MRI, a normal EKG strip. Nothing is physically wrong with you, now, why don't you tell us what happened. Feeling especially good from the shot of Demerol she had had, she had laughed for a good long time. They thought she had been abused! Christ, she wished it were that simple. She'd shoot the sorry bastard, and dispose of the body. Problem solved. This was somehting else. It was connected to these dreams, these memories, something was causing her blood pressure to rise dangerously, rupturing the delicate capillary beds surrounding her eyes. They gave her some more sedatives to take home, encouraged her to see her "family doctor" soon to follow up, and sent her home. An ice pack would help minimize the bruising and there was always make up. Lucky she didn't loose her eyesight, could have detached her retinas, they said. Great, Lily thought gloomily, I have soooooo much to look forward to. Just what the world needs, a theif who faints on the job. Once again Lily thought of retiring. The door opening drew her attention, such as it was, and Magnus was there, lifting her yet again to carry her to her room. After gently laying her down on the soft tick, he arranged a cold pack on her eyes, left a cold soda and his zapper within reach. She quickly gave up conciousness for the cool release of sleep. Then she slipped again into the dreaming. She was dancing. Dancing and laughing and having the time of her life. Her mystery man was her partner. His face was still in shadow, unknowable. But her eyes did not need to see him. She knew this giddy joy she was feeling was the pleasure of being in his company. The feel of his muscles under her hand and the grip of his fingers on her other hand as he led them though a waltz. His step was quick and light as he spun her around the ballroom. Suddenly a man tapped him on the shoulder, before she could refuse his request he had his hands on her, whirling her away. Lily looked back at her man only to see a woman laughing seductively as she insinuated herself into his arms. They moved further away and her she could hear a crackling noise, like electricity snapping and looked down as her heart broke into jigsaw puzzle pieces and fell to the floor at her feet. With this, her new partner released her and crying, she bent over to retrieve the pieces, desperately trying to put them back together but a piece was missing. Suddenly she felt the panic of a child, knowing her heart was broken, missing pieces, how could it continue to work? Then the heart turned into a heart shaped cookie and she started to eat it. Had to. It was dry and bitter but she ate it anyway and washed it down with her own tears of pain, loss and confusion. The heart seemed to work, but she obsessed over the missing piece. He must have it! or he was it. She stood up and began to look for him, breaking into a run, all around, unable to find anyone, or a door. Any door. The walls seemed to get closer and closer. Every wall was actually a large mirror, reflecting her image back and forth a thousand times. The walls closed in until she was in a box of mirror, turning around slowly, like a music box ballerina, tears streaming down her puffy cheeks and lips.

Lily? Someone said her name, very far away. She looked upward and heard the call again. As she stared upward she began to rise up, like floating up from the bottom of the pool. Faster and faster she ascended until she broke the surface of conciousness, gasping for oxygen as though she had been holding her breath. -

K Ís face was above her as she opened her eyes, wide and unseeing for a

moment. "Lily? Honey? Are you okay? You were sobbing in your sleep as

if your heart was broken"

It took her a moment to form the words. "It was..." her words trailing

off, her eyes staring off at the retreating back of the unseen.

"What?" K Ís voice broke her dreaming finally. Lily blinked once or

twice, "Huh?"

"I thought Id chance your wrath by waking you up, are you okay?"

Lily smacked her dry tongue around in her sandy mouth. "Yeah, I Ím all

right. I just had a bummer dream." Lily told K about it and when she

started describing the lost piece she started crying again. K held and

rocked her. "You know, Lil, these dreams are becoming more and more

revealing. First this person has a part of your brain, now a piece of

your heart, pretty soon he will consume you!" It was meant as levity,

but lily took this to heart, and frowned unconsciously at the thought.

"That may not be too far fetched. Maybe I Ím under some sort of psychic

attack and now he's after a piece of my soul?" K sat silently for a

moment. She wasn't sure if Lily was handling this crisis well or not.

Lily could see K doubting her sanity, Let her, thought Lily. When she's

seen some of the things I have...then we Íll talk. She sat on the bed

staring into space for a spell, then, sighing deeply she put on a smile

and said, "Okay! I Ím okay now. What time is it? "

"About nine am , friday morning." "Wow, I slept through the night. How

do my eyes look today?"

"Puffy from crying mostly, I think the ice prevented a lot of

bruising."

"Probably. Cool. I just hope I look good for the reunion tonight."

"You will. Even if you have to wear makeup for a change!" Lily

stumbled off to wash her face. "I Ím sorry this trip hasn Ít been

better." K apologized. Reappearing from the bathroom Lily threw her a

confused glance. "Whadd'ya mean? Its been just what I needed. Rest.

Relaxation. All I've done is shop and sleep! And eat!! I think I've

actually healed up for a change."

"Are you eager to return to your "business"?"

"I don't know exactly. I've been thinking of giving it up." Lily held

up a hand to stop K from interjecting her opinion. " I mean, it's just

no fun anymore. Everything is just too easy, I have plenty of money and

investments, anything less than corporate piracy is child's play, and

even that is just as easy. Where there's a man, there's a way." Lily's

wry smile told volumes. " There's just no real challenge any more." K

looked dumbfounded. "Maybe you could work for the FBI or something" K

volunteered.

"Are you nuts?! I work for me, I'd probably be trying to help them

catch me! Where do you think I should list my experience from? Hmm? My

father was a locksmith/computer hacker? I don't think so. No. I just

don't know. What's for breakfast?" she changed the subject. K

laughed. "You go one direction, then another one all together!"

"What do you mean? I Ím hungry."

"It just sounded like your belly out ruled your brain for a moment."

"It did!" Lily said, playfully jumping on K Ís shoulders. They were

giggling and playing slap and tickle when they joined Aurora and Winston

in the breakfast nook downstairs. Lily would have called it a booth but

K insisted she call it a nook. Aurora was nibbling on the fruit plate

that dominated the table. "About time, sheesh!" she complained in a

friendly way. Winston was eyes down in a cup of strong black Kava.

Aurora waited until Lily scooted across the yellow sparkelene upholstery

bench into "her" corner before inquiring, "Are you feeling better today

honey?"

"Yes, thanks. The meds they're giving me seem to prevent those

horrible headaches. "

"They probably open all your vessels, I Ím on meds for high blood

pressure, and that's what those do for me." Winston spoke up. " The Dr.

said, if I lost more weight, it would help, but I sit in front of a

computer all day, and my wife is such a good cook..."

"But he has started practicing White Crane Kung Fu again, at least."

Aurora piped in.

"That should help." Lily had heard enough of Dr's diagnosis and

treatment plans to think this.

"Yep," said Winston, in his quiet, baritone way, "So...You ready for

this reunion tonight?"

Lily made a quick grimace before saying, "Sure, as ready as I'll ever

be."

"So!" Aurora popped a grape into her mouth and continued as she chewed,

" Gonna see all your old beaus? Wanna borrow Le-Roy here to make them

all jealous?" Lily laughed out loud before asking Winston, "Why does

she call you Leroy, when your name is winston?" He looked askance at

Aurora who seemed very interested in the ceiling tiles suddenly. It was

obvious that this was a game, but neither said a word. Winston

discovered his own ceiling spot and Lily and K just shrugged at each

other. Soon a huge plate of scrambled eggs with cheese , ham and

biscuits were placed before them and her thoughts turned inward as they

all fell silent to eat. Who would be at the reunion? Anyone she knew?

Anyone she was close to? So many people Lily cherished in her heart out

there, somewhere. She wondered where they were, who they were with,

what they did, did they have families? Well, maybe I Íll know later

tonight she thought with growing unease and anticipation. What do I

tell them about myself? She pondered. She smiled at her mental

pictures of tying to tell the truth. Oh, I Íve been traveling the world

as a freelance thief, one of the best! Remember the sultan's jewels of

Iran? That was me. Somehow she felt as though they wouldn't see the

humor of it all. What could she say? A model? Wouldn't those now fat

and soft cheerleaders be jealous? No. Maybe she could invent an

overseas corporation to run. Wait, she had one of those. No. Wait! her

brain called. Be creative with the truth. Let's see. I travel the

world, so international is the first word. Aquisitions fits in

somewhere. Chief international acquisitions coordinator. That sounded

good. Important. Lily was having imagined conversations when Winston

broke into her thoughts with his deep, Barry White voice.

"So...Are you excited? Nervous?"

"A little of both, actually. Why?"

"You looked like you weren't on this planet."

"I wasn't. I was thinking about what I would tell people I did for a

living."

"And...?" Winston's face lit up in anticipation. Lily ran her title

by him, and her reasoning. He laughed heartily but agreed that it was

true at the very least. "Only you, Lil, only you!"

"Hey, I Ím an original, what can I say? Well, if y'all will excuse me,

I Ím going to lie down with cucumbers on my eyes." K told Lily to go to

her room and she would send Magnus up with the cukes. Moments later she

was reclining in a hot , scented bath with cukes on her eyes. An oldies

station on the radio played her favorite Eagles song and she relaxed

into it and sang along: " you can check out any time you like, but you

can never leave........" she went through the guitar solo, playing her

air guitar hard, so hard, she lost her cuke slices in the water. She

took this as a sign to get out. Maybe a nap till lunch, she thought.

After powder, deodorant, and perfume, lily felt soft and clean and

drowsy.. Her sheets had been changed to a midnight blue satin with

matching coverlet. How soothing to look at, Lily thought. Her clean

shaved legs felt smooth and silky against the sheets. They were

deliciously cool as well, and she "wallowed" around in them before

settling down for a nap. A sudden, but familiar shaking of the bed

announced Basil coming to sleep with her. Nice to see him after hiding

for so many days. The big, fluffy cat came and head butted her, rubbing

his face against hers. Lily pulled him into her embrace, p'tooyed the

hair out of her mouth and fell asleep. She was still naked and wrapped

around her cat when K came to check on her. Lily must have been a cat

in her last life, K thought to herself. Or maybe she's just a big

hairless one now. K smiled at her own thoughts and shut Lily's door

behind her.

end chapter.