Shayla Black - Forever Wicked

Once upon a time, in the future

I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

library at my fathers home and collected thousands

of volumes of fantastic tales.

I learned all about ancient races and bygone

times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

people through the millennium. And the more I read

the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

become part of them.

I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

would not be telling you this tale now.

But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

with bravery.

One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

(Persian: , "king") married a new virgin, and then

sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

and I had read, that by the time he met Scheherazade,

the vizier's daughter, hed killed one thousand

women.

Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

places with Scheherazade a phenomena that had

never occurred before and that still to this day, I

cannot explain.

Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

taken on Scheherazades life and the only way I can

protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

protect herself and stay alive.

Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

you now.

To what do I owe this displeasure? Jason Denning leaned against the doorjamb and stared at the all-too-familiar face glowering back at him.

This close to Halloween, he wished his visitor was some kid he could hand a piece of candy then send away. Unfortunately, this wasnt someone in a costume.

Is that any way to talk to your mother? Samantha Denning-Markham-Lloyd braced her hand against his chest and shoved him out of the way to enter his condo uninvited. The tap-tap-tap of her ever-present stilettoes clattered against the hand-scraped hardwood floors and echoed off the high ceilings, resounding through his downtown Dallas loft.

As he followed her across the foyer and into the great room, she picked up his remote and turned off the football game with a dramatic sigh. The TV mounted on the exposed brick wall went darksort of like his mood.

No, really, Mom. I wasnt watching that or anything. He crossed his arms over his chest.

I havent seen you in three years, and youd rather gawk at grown men chasing an oblong ball? Dont you even have a hug for your mother?

Samantha had barely allowed him to touch her, even when hed been a little boy. Now, she only ever wanted something from him when her life had gone to hell and she wanted help fixing it. You mean like were a warm, well-adjusted family? They usually spend Christmas together. But oh, you didnt show up last year, like wed planned. Thanks for not calling to let me know you werent coming. I had a fabulous holiday alone, thanks for asking.

Samantha sighed. You have your fathers sarcastic streak. I could live without it.

Too bad I cant. Is there a reason you couldnt return my messages? I havent moved or changed my number for the last few years, so I know you didnt fail to call because you had trouble finding me. I assumed you were too busy with husband number three for your only son.

I didnt come here for guilt. She waved his words away, and he noticed that her ring finger was currently bare. Lloyd is long gone. The poor bastard went bankrupt. I couldnt possibly stay.

Jason supposed that whole for richer or for poorer thing didnt mean much to Mommy Dearest. So you dumped him?

As it happened, I met another man about the same time. Robert swept me off my feet.

Translation: He had a lot of money and spent a nice chunk on her. So you left Lloyd for Robert. Beautiful.

It was, she defended. We had a fabulous wedding in Fiji. You would have loved it.

Doubtful, but since he hadnt been invited and it sounded like the union was over, his opinion was moot. Is the divorce final yet?

No. He just filed last week. She pursed her artificially plumped lips as much as the injections allowed, looking a bit like a three-year-old in the body of a woman on the downhill slide to sixty. He met a girl making a music video, of all things.

A musician?

No. She scoffed. A model strutting around in a bikini and spreading her legs on the hoods of cars for the camera. She convinced him that he still had the libido of a man half his age. Now theyre engaged. She gave him a dainty huff. I kept up my end of our prenuptial, as I have with every husband. I remained a size four. I played the gracious hostess for all his boring business parties. I even gave him the requisite blow job once a week.

Jason winced. TMI, Mother

So Robert had left hera first for Samantha. She was used to men of all ages falling at her feet and offering her the world. She was usually the trophy. Maybe those days were over.

Jason couldnt tell much difference in his mothers appearance since hed seen her a few years ago. She stayed in impeccable shape with a personal trainer. A stylist dressed her. She religiously saw an esthetician and had a plastic surgeon on speed dial. Most people wouldnt think her more than a day or two above forty.

She fluffed her artificial blonde hair and shot him an impatient stare. Dont you have anything to say?

Not really. Though he sensed the incident had broken her ego more than her heart, she still hurt. Is he refusing to honor the terms of your prenup?

No, but She paced, looking out over the Dallas skyline all lit up in its evening glory yet not really seeing.

But? he prompted. The sooner she said whatever she needed to get off her chest, the sooner she would leave.

Hes thirty-five years older than her. Its ridiculous!

Jason refrained from pointing out that billionaire Charles Denning had been thirty-two years Samanthas senior when shed married him. She hadnt believed the age gap ridiculous then. Since his mother had given birth to him six months after she and his father exchanged vows, Jason didnt think his mother had wooed his father away from his first wife of twenty-seven years with her scintillating conversational skills. Pointing that out now would only make her snit worse.

Do you want a glass of wine? A few of those usually solved her problems.

She shook her head and unwound her cashmere wrap, then tossed it at him. It doesnt mix well with my Xanax, and I cant afford the extra calories. Im looking for another man, one younger than me. Ill show Robert.

His mother sounded bitter. He wasnt surprised. Shed always acted as if the world owed her something.