Mana in the Modern World non illustrated version (10 page)

Anna was surprised when Jack was allowed to
bypass airport security with a simple show of an ID, tho they did
scan it. Especially as he had Baby in his cargo pocket and was
carrying a different sword cane; a beautiful antique one he brought
back from Turkiye. Seeing her staring at him he shrugged his
shoulders and with a grin said, “Sometimes it pays to have
connections. I will explain later.” “Huh, you sure had better,”
replied Anna.

After checking in at the hotel they head to a
restaurant Jack frequented when in Washington. Although it is a bit
chilly Jack surprised her by asking for an outside table. “Anna you
cannot breathe a word of what I am about to tell you to anyone but
I think you need to know some things. Understood?” Anna nods. Then,
settling in side by side rather than across from each other,
quietly Jack briefly explains some of his previous history with
NSA. He also includes that he now has a special ID and passport
that allowed him to bypass most airports security and remained
armed.

“Recently, a couple years ago or more, a very
small Top Secret agency began the process of being created in the
government. But in all probability will soon be known worldwide.
Something of an pseudo police force. Several countries, excluding
France of course, are on board with this and not all, primarily the
smaller ones, will have offices or assigned agents. You know of
course about the US Marshals Service?”

Anna nods. “Well this is pretty much the same
but going more international. Currently there are only seven US
agents, of which I am one, with a few others being checked out and
vetted. Internationally there are another eight or so agents but
I’m not sure exactly how many. But upper management is quietly
looking for others worldwide but we expect and plan on always being
a small but very select organization with very extensive background
checks and a really strange Psych evaluation. You know of the TV
show Warehouse 13?”

Another nod, but now staring, mouth almost
hanging wide open. Grinning, Jack continues, “Well, we are the
beginnings of something like that. Some strange items like the
Stone have begun showing up. Mainly benign so far but who knows?
There are legends and rumors of others not so benign.” ‘Dear God,
can all this truly be happening,’ thinks Anna as, without looking,
she reaches for her water glass. It slides forward a couple inches
to her hand and she takes a drink. “O man, I think I’m getting a
headache from all this,” says Anna as she rubs her forehead.

She did not notice the glasses’ movement but
Jack did. ‘Hum, I wonder?’ Jack, concentrating ‘on reaching’ as he
extends a hand toward his glass. He feels like he is getting a
headache as well but his glass also moves, slowly sliding about
three inches to his hand. Anna gasps, “How did you do that?”

“Hey, you did it first Bub. You were
distracted and just didn’t notice when you reached for your glass.”
Jack replied. “Try it again but this time concentrate on the glass
moving to your hand.” Hand slightly quivering, Anna takes another
sip, puts the glass back down a short distance away and,
‘concentrating, reaching’ for the glass. It slowly moved the short
distance to her hand.

A startled gasp comes from beside her. “How
did you do that?” exclaims their waitress. Jack, looking up with a
smile, quickly responds, “Just practicing a bit of magic for next
month’s private show. Didn’t mean to startle you but we will stop
as there is no need to spook anyone not expecting it.” “Wow, you
guys are really, really great,” exclaimed the waitress, Jill by her
name tag. “Can you show me again?”

“Sure Jill,” Jack replies, “Just once more
but no asking how it’s done.” “O that was so cool,” says Jill.
After she takes their order and leaves Anna says, “What’s happening
to us Jack?” “Not sure Anna, but I believe, …..well hope, that we
will be getting some answers tomorrow morning from Hiy-u.” Jack is
now lost in thought, ‘And Anna, you may soon be getting a new job
offer.’ Supper was quiet with both deep in racing thoughts.

Behind the steering wheel, Jack glanced at
Anna, studying her, trying to judge her reaction to the strange
occurrence back at the restaurant. She seemed lost in her own
thoughts, unaware of her surroundings or even of him looking at
her. It wasn’t often that he saw her with her guard down. Her
usually tough exterior was gone, deflated; in its place was what he
could only describe as uncertainty. Her vulnerability took him by
surprise. He had always found his pseudo partner attractive, but in
this moment, he saw her in a completely different light. It was as
if he could feel the emotions stirring within her, everything about
her, her very humanity.

Jack cleared his throat. “When I was a kid
and was stuck in the house on a damp cold day like this, I used to
blow on the glass and draw icky faces with my finger on the window
panes all around the house; that is of course until Momma caught me
and swatted me with whatever she had handy. She did not mind the
faces but icky was a no-no.”

Anna looked over at him, smiling. “Why am I
not surprised?”

Jack gave her a genuine wicked type grin, “I
was a naughty boy.”

“Apparently so. I’m betting the neighborhood
moms all had their big wooden kitchen spoons handy to bust your
butt in case you tried to icky their windows.” Jack chuckled,
“Those wooden spoons helped shape me into the man I am today, thank
you very much.”

As the pair turned into the hotel parking lot
Anna pointed him toward an empty space near the hotel’s entrance.
In the elevator Jack sighed deeply. He hadn’t wanted to ruin her
high spirits, but he wondered if he should try to talk to Anna
about what had happened back at the restaurant. He thought back to
the quiet mood she’d been in back in the car. How had he known how
she was feeling then? She hadn’t come out and told him, her body
language didn’t even give it away, it was something else. It was as
if he could feel the inner workings of her mind just by being near
her. Might she have also felt something from him or for him?

That feeling had faded now, as if a
connection of some sort had been lost. “Hey Anna,” Jack said
questioningly. Anna looked at him, smiling curiously. “What’s up?”
Jack rubbed a hand roughly through his hair, trying to figure how
to say what he wanted to without sounding like a complete crazy
person.

“Back at the restaurant… I mean in the car,
on the way over here …Did you feel anything strange? Anna looked at
him, a blank stare on her face. “How do you mean?” “I don’t know
what I mean. All I know is that on the way over here, I felt like
as if I knew you, and I don’t mean a Hi, how are you kind of thing.
I mean that somehow deeper like I felt your emotions, felt a
connection. Now though, since we came in here, the feeling is
gone.”

He watched her looking at him, trying to
judge her reaction. She replies, “Well, I guess maybe we should try
to recreate the conditions in the car, huh? Maybe you will get the
feeling again.” “Does that mean you believe me?” Jack said a hint
of relief in his voice. “After what happened back at the
restaurant, I doubt very little, if anything thing, right now.”
Anna hurriedly walked over to the edge of the queen bed and sat
down. “Here, come sit next to me, like you were in the car.”

Jack felt compelled to try. He walked over
and sat down. “Do you feel anything?” Anna asked. “No.” answers
Jack.

“What were you doing when you got those
feelings?” Anna looked at him expectantly. Jack wasn’t sure he
wanted to tell her; afraid she might question his motives; maybe
even put her guard back up to him forever. He didn’t want that to
happen. He felt something for her, maybe something beyond what he
did as a friend, but something that felt meaningful. He just wasn’t
sure that now was the right time to tell her that.

“Well, let’s see. You were looking out the
window, remember? So go ahead, turn your head like you were, think
what you were thinking then and I’ll see if that helps,” Jack said.
Anna turned her head and tried to feel the mood she had in the car,
not sure of what her thoughts were then but knew they were a
feeling like being home. Jack then turned back toward her the way
he done before and, as if electrical currents were in the air, he
began to once again feel those same tingling inner thoughts as he
had before, only they were somewhat stronger now.

He could sense things about her, knew
something that she’d kept inside. Finally he spoke. “Turn and look
at me Anna.” When Anna turned around and peered into his eyes,
something began to change in her, he could see it, could sense it.
They were connected on a level beyond what was humanly capable.

“How is this happening?” Anna managed in a
whisper.

Pic here of Jack reclining on the bed

Jack shook his head and reached over to
smooth a stray hair that had fallen out from behind her ear.
Leaning in, he inhaled, breathing her in. The sweet scent like
Almond Butter and Pancake syrup mixed with a fine grazing layer of
body sweat emanated from her; a reminder of their long days’ worth
of traveling and of the restaurant they had left moments earlier.
He wanted to taste her, to delve below the exterior, get to the
bottom layer and stay there for eternity.

“May I stay with you tonight, Anna?” Jack
asked hoarsely. He was finding it hard to keep his composure,
feeling his body begin to respond to her presence. He not only
faintly sensed all of her emotions, but her perceived inadequacies
as well. He wanted to show her that she had nothing to fear from
him as he somehow felt that was what she feared.

He wanted to show her how exquisite she was
both inside and out; he also knew she wanted that to, wanted to be
partnered, loved and cared for, caressed, and spoken to in a manner
that only lovers can do for one another. What he wasn’t quite able
to tell in her though, was whether or not she thought that he could
be the one to do those things for her. He had to find out.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea” Anna
managed quietly, all the while; her body beginning to betray her
mouth. She relaxed into him, his body heat radiating outward,
creating a cove that continued to pull at her, drawing her closer
still until her face brushed against his wilted shirt collar, the
tip of her nose burrowing into his neck; the cleft of his chin
resting gently on her cheek.

Oh …..my, she felt safe here; just like this.
She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt so completely at
ease. She wasn’t normally one who let her guard down with men;
she’d been burned too many times. None of that seemed to matter in
this moment; yes; she was ready to take the next step.

“I changed my mind Jack” Anna said. Using her
legs to push herself farther onto the bed, she fell backward into
Jacks lap and beamed up at him. “You better not kiss and tell,
Sir.” Anna said playfully, using her best Texas Ranger
authoritative voice.

Jack was quiet for a minute, a sturdy serious
look on his face; without warning he lifted himself off the
mattress with his arms and propelled himself back down, causing
them both to bounce slightly into the air. He used the opportunity
to catch her and lay her atop him. He lay there, holding her above
him, gazing up, drinking in every detail; the feel of her hips
under his hands, the rate at which her chest rose and fell. His
eyes fell to her body and he could feel himself rising in
expectation.

She felt it to and was taken aback by the
response his body initiated in her and hers in his. Anna opened his
pants, reached for him, taking him in her palm, stroking and
massaging; watching the tension build within him. She could see and
feel his breathing matching hers, growing faster, harder; his
breath heavy.

“I don’t want this to change anything between
us,” Jack murmured, pulling away his shirt feverishly, tossing it
to the side. Anna smiled down at him, holding his gaze with an
almost hypnotic effect while she teasingly unbuttoned her blouse
and pulled it open. Her body was slender; tightly formed. Jack
placed his left palm on her belly button and ran his hand upwards,
admiring the curve of her ribcage, her breasts were covered with a
light colored bra and her chest heaved seductively at his touch,
and he teased her there, rubbing until the flesh puckered with
excitement.

“Oh, Jack I can’t promise this won’t change
anything,” she was barely able to get the words out, her body
working at a pace her mind couldn’t keep up with. She wanted him,
needed him more than anything else.

“It doesn’t matter anymore, we’ve gone too
far to turned back; this seems like it was meant to happen,” Jack
sensed her agreement. Using his teeth, he gently pulled her bra
straps down over her shoulders, one at a time, kissing her neck,
her chest; allowing his tongue to play at the corners of the folds
of her skin. Easing her bra down exposed her lovely breasts to his
eyes, he gazed at her rigid nipples just begging to be touched and
lowered his mouth to do justice by them. A soft moan escaped from
Anna. He reveled in her pleasure, sensed it emanating from her;
heightening his own pleasure.

Jack rolled them over, fumbled with the
covers on the bed, pulling the rough bedspread from under Anna and
clumsily they both slid between the cool crisp sheets; further
undressing one another until they were both fully exposed; under
the sheets, Jack lay over top of Anna, being careful not to put too
much weight on her until she was ready for him, the anticipation
mounting.

The heat radiating between the two had
created a slick film on their skin; making their intertwining
exploration of one another an exciting adventure. Anna felt her
heat growing slick, knew her body was ready to receive him; she
ached for it. Jack sensed it too, and he lowered himself onto her.
Finding her sex, he pressed into her. She gasped and clutched his
shoulders, kissing at the flesh she could reach with her mouth, she
wrapped her legs about him and pulled him closer still, pulling him
deeper within her; needing all of it. She wanted him to fill her up
and Jack was more than pleased to accommodate.