Sapphire the Snow Vixen

Sapphire was made out of Scottish Highlands snow, just before Hogmanay. She had wisps of Heather and Thistle tucked into her snowy head, along with two cerulean stones for her eyes; a piece of ebony coal for her nose. She was Winter Solstice and Yule and Hogmanay and The New Year all in one, come to life. She was the stuff of Scottish myth and legend; very few , mostly those with The Sight, actually knew that she existed. Morgana was one of those.

Morgana had been ostracized from the Scottish village that she had grown up in, branded as a witch. The villagers didn't like her different ways, and the fact that she seemed to know things that they thought she shouldn't. 

Morgana was still adjusting and adding comfort to the mountain cabin in which she had solace and invisibility from the aforementioned village. One morning, while she was foraging out by the frozen lake, in the cold winter morning air, she came across small footprints in the snow. The imprints made glistened with blue light, and Morgana's eyes lit up, for she knew who had made them. 

She returned to her cabin, where the fire she had built earlier was now burning warmly, and fixed a plate with lavender shortbread and heather honey, and poured a cup of juniper and mint wine. She returned to the pond, and placed the plate and cup near the shimmering blue footprints as an offering. Then she pulled her cloak around her against the cold wind, and returned to her warm cabin. 

Later that day, just  before the sun was going to begin setting, Morgana went out again, this time for some snow, as she wanted to cool some wine, fruit, and cheese for herself for dinner later. To her delight, she found the empty cup and plate where she had left them, with fresh blue footprints. She smiled to herself, filled the cup with freshly fallen snow, and returned to her cabin. 

For the next couple of mornings, she repeated the shortbread, honey, and wine offering that she left by the frozen lake, and returned each afternoon to find the empty cup and plate, along with fresh blue footprints along the lake. 

Morgana looked in her book of shadows for the information that she sought, mostly as confirmation that her visitor was who she already innately knew she was. She sipped some spiced  pomegranate wine that she had heated with one of the pokers that she stoked fires with to warm the cabin. Her throat was parched and raw, and she had a dry cough, and a slight fever, and the wine soothed her. Hopefully it would ease the cough so that she could sleep during the night. 

Morgana's fever raged during the night, and she slept fitfully, her slender body covered in perspiration. She saw fire in her dreams, heard it crackling as it burned, and felt its warmth. Comforting warmth; it did not burn, or even touch her. 

She saw Sapphire in her fevered dreams, but not a Sapphire made of snow, coal and heather. This Sapphire had sloe-black hair, deep sapphire blue eyes, and alabaster skin. She was clad in a gown of deep blue velvet a shade darker than her eyes, with a satin-lined cloak pulled around her, made from the same material as the gown. Sapphire earrings studded each earlobe, and blue flames flew from them as the candlelight hit them. She was quite stunning to behold, and Morgana was in awe of her.

She came over and laid a cool, delicate hand on Morgana's hot forehead. She left it there for a short time, slowly drawing the fever from Morgana's body. 

"Thank you", Morgana murmured softly to Sapphire, as she slowly drifted away in a now peaceful slumber. 

Morgana slept for several hours; it was late into the next morning when she awakened. When she arose from her bed, intending to prepare some warm tea, she found the blue satin and velvet cloak in a chair near the fireplace, along with a bouquet of dried heather.

She felt blessed and honored, for indeed she was. 

 

Passing the Torch

Morgana dressed carefully, for Merlin had summoned her, for what he had implied would be a momentous occasion. She chose the finest gown that she owned; nothing less would do now. When at last she was dressed and surveyed her appearance by candlelight in the mirror, she made quite a noticable figure. Midnight tresses and sloe eyes to match, alabaster skin, her body clad in plush, shimmering black velvet. The gown itself had a square neckline, and was studded with tiny diamond and pearls. She wore a pearl and diamond pendant, with matching miniature earrings. Her feet were encased in black velvet slippers with black satin heels, and there was a pearl solitaire ring on her right hand. She dabbed a bit of her exquisite rose attar on each wrist, and at the base of her throat. She smiled at her reflection. 
She reached for her black velvet cloak, and drew its thick folds around her, blew out the candle, and left to meet Merlin at the edge of the dark forest, near his cave, as he'd requested. Her black cat, Ceri, followed at her side.
She walked slowly, and it took her a short while, even though the distance really wasn't that far. 
There was a break in the clouds, and there in the moonlight, she saw Merlin waiting for her. Even though all she could see was his shadow, she knew it was him. 
She and Ceri finally reached him, and she looked up at him, and touched her cheek against his lightly. 
"Croeso, Morgana.", Merlin said softly. He touched her dark hair, and breathed in her rose perfume. 
Morgana smiled up into Merlin's eyes, and it was the last thing that she knew.
The next morning, Arthur's soldiers found a burned out torch and Morgana's black clock, with her signature pearl ring. No trace of the Lady Morgana and her familiar, Ceri, could be found. For that matter, neither could Merlin.

Midnight Session: Installment Three

 “Oh, I’m paying attention all right, Samantha.” Jason said ,squeezing her breasts. "“With a body like this I can see how you were able to get close enough to a person to become so successful in your former profession.”

"Former profession?? How's that, Jason?", Samantha queried, even as she squirmed while he massaged her breasts. "There's nothing former about it.", she assured him. "I don't know where you could have gotten that idea."

"So....did you still want your men to search me? I thought you might want to do it for yourself."

“Oh, come on now,Samantha. There's really no need for such pretense between us.”, Jason said. “Everybody in my 99 knows that you were one of the top hit people in Alex's 77. Word on the street is that it was true until Alex decided you were more valuable elsewhere....like in his bed.”  Jason paused, then added, “However, we can discuss that later.”

"Alright, Jason.....if you'd like.", Samantha agreed.

He reached for the zipper at the back of her  plush green dress and began to slowly pull it down. “All that talk about you wanting me to search you has got me wanting to take you up on the offer.”

Midnight Session: Installment Two

 Oh, I don’t think I need to do that Samantha” he laughed. “If you had had so much as a penknife on you, you wouldn’t be standing here now “He gestured her to go and sit down.

“So why did you take the risk of coming here ?”, Jason asked. 

Samantha could tell from his expression that he was truly puzzled by her appearance.

She slowly lowered herself into the chair that Jason had motioned towards ...she took a deep breath, and a minute to think about what she was going to answer.

Her sharp emerald eyes met his, and she said softly, "Self-preservation".

Her eyes flickered, making them look a shade darker, and she added, "Sure you don't want to search for yourself, Jason,? For the weapon, I mean."

“Well,I suppose I could call the guys in and tell them to search you again in front of me, Samantha” he said. “I’m sure they would do a thorough search, exploring all the possible hiding places” he added, giving her a sardonic grin.

Samantha gave him the hint of a frosty smile, although the light of it never reached her emerald eyes. 

She nodded, and agreed, "I suppose you could do that, if you want to, Jason ......but I promise you that I carry no conventional weapons anywhere on me.  Search all you like."

Jason walked behind her chair and reached down to cup her breasts.

“Perhaps not conventional weapons, sweet  Samantha” he murmured in her ear,  squeezing her nipples “but these could cause a lot of problems if a guy wasn’t paying attention.”

Samantha squirmed a little in her chair; just enough so that her breasts were pressed more firmly within his grasp.

"Really, Jason??", she asked in a soft voice. "You honestly think that I could cause trouble for you?"

She laughed lightly, adding, "Are you paying attention, Jason?"

Midnight Session: Installment One

Jason Masters had heard back from his lieutenants that the raid on his rival's home had been successful and his bitter rival and several of his men had been killed.

Unfortunately the man's mistress, Samantha Monroe, was not with him

 at the time and her whereabouts were unknown.

He instructed his men to find her as soon as possible.

Samantha Monroe knew that there was a price on her head. She knew better than to run immediately, as undoubtedly Jason Masters and his men would have any exit routes monitored, if not blocked, already....most likely that was in place before the hit occurred. 

Samantha decided on an unusual course of action: actually having the courage to go to Jason herself ....rather than having his men drag her there. 

She selected a form-fitting emerald green velvet dress, and matching green stilettos. She felt that it showed all of her assets off beautifully. The color of her shirt dress darkened her eyes to emerald, and called attention to her burnished auburn tresses. Her only jewelry was a pair of tiny emerald and gold stud earrings. She wrapped an elegant, hooded black velvet clock, lined with emerald satin, around her. 

Standing at Jason Masters' front door, Samantha Monroe took a deep breath, then rang the doorbell. 

Jason heard the doorbell as he was working on his computer and quickly switched to the security camera feed in his office. He stared at the screen with amazement when he saw Samantha standing there.

 

Obviously his security detail would have stopped her and searched her before they let her pass. He was just surprised they hadn’t escorted her to the door.

He opened the door on the chain and saw one of his men standing at the side.

Taking the chain off, he opened the door wider, nodded to the man, then invited Samantha inside. He even stepped slightly aside, so that she could enter the room.

 

“Well, Miss Monroe, you took a chance by coming here. You do not lack courage."” he said. “You are fortunate to still be among the living. I gave orders to shoot on sight. I'll have to speak with my men about just exactly why that command wasn't honored, later."

He let his eyes roam over her body appreciatively. "But I can see, in this case, why they hesitated."

 

“I assume they searched you before they brought you to my office door ?” ,Jason said, as his dark eyes flickered at her.

Samantha's lips curved in the hint of a smile. "I imagine they did, Jason. ", she said softly. "Why don't you search for yourself? Maybe they weren't thorough enough to suit you."

To be continued.......

The Inn at the Lake

 The car slowly began to sputter, and before they knew it, Clay and Emily were sitting on the side of the road in the late afternoon Southern heat. 

The couple looked at one another in disbelief. 

Once it became apparent that they weren't going anywhere, they looked at one another in desperation.

Emily stretched a shapely leg out of the car, and retrieved her suitcase, and makeup case from the back seat, the leash of her adored terrier, Revel, in one hand. 

"I can't walk far in these heels.", she told Clay, even as they sunk into the damp soil. "What are we going to do? It's getting late."

Clay scrambled with some discarded papers that they'd picked up at the rest station when they'd crossed the state line a short while ago.

"We'll go here. Look at it! It's beautiful! A lake and everything..... we'll have a rest and you'll feel better in the morning.", he promised. He paused and added, "It's only one night, Emily."

She sighed and nodded. "I guess so."

"I can't walk far in these heels.", she told him. "And it's hot and I'm tired. I want a bath, and some clean clothes."

Clay sighed, and nodded, even as he took a large box out of the back seat. He reached under the front seat and retrieved a bottle of rye whiskey, and his leather journal, along with a small paper envelope of cash.

The stranded couple walked a short distance along the road in the woods, until they came to a small clearing, where they saw a dilapidated wooden building in the distance. 

Emily gasped as the left heel on her shoe broke, and she leaned against Clay for support. She slipped off her shoes, limping towards the inn in damp pantyhose. A  small water blister was forming on her foot, and she wasn't happy....to say the least. She was ready for a perfumed bubble bath, some soft music, and a glass...or two.....of chilled white wine, preferably her favorite French Chardonnay, followed by some cuddling with Revel.

As the distressed couple walked alongside the country road they had been traveling on, eventually,  in the rapidly fading late afternoon sunlight, they saw a clearing in the woods. 

Emily's spirits perked up when she saw a building near the beautiful blue lake.

"Hey, look!", she said to Clay, as she tugged his sleeve. "I think it's a hotel or something!" Revel barked and wagged his tail. 

Or something turned out to be right, because as they got closer, it became increasingly apparent that the sighted building was in less than stellar condition; in fact, it looked downright dilapidated.

While Emily (and Clay, for that matter) would have ordinarily been inclined to refuse staying there, they were not in a position at the present time to choose. Their car had broken down, and it was either sleep in their car overnight, or stay at the decidedly rundown hotel. 

As they walked closer, Emily said, "Well, maybe the rooms are clean....."

Her makeup and suitcase were getting heavy, and her feet hurt.

Clay sighed, as he struggled to carry the box in his arms. "Maybe so.", he halfheartedly agreed.

"Well, the hotel is awful, but it IS right on the lake! Isn't it beautiful?!", Emily enthused. The blue lake glistened in the late afternoon sun.

Clay's spirits perked up then, and he smiled. He was glad he was carrying the heavy box. Emily (and Revel) would love it.....

He sat the box down for a minute, and opened the wooden screen door of the small inn. As soon as Emily and Revel and he were inside, he turned to the open door and picked up the box again.

The clerk at the desk was obtuse and uncooperative, as well as looking like he hadn't bathed in several days, but they signed for a room, and he handed them a rusty key to room number 15. 

"It's the one nearest the lake.", he told them vaguely. 

"Good to know.", said Clay, who was mildly irritated by the attitude of the dirty clerk. He supposed that he should be grateful that there even WAS a lake.

Emily had a strange look of disbelief on her face as she looked at Clay. She TRULY could not believe they were staying here for the night. If it wouldn't have caused all kinds of trouble for the three of them, she would have had Revel sink his teeth into the dumb clerk's leg!

In a short span of time, Clay had unlocked the door, and Emily, Clay and Revel had gone inside and viewed their ....interesting....accommodations for the night. Within an even shorter (or so it seemed to Clay and Emily, they were sharing French Chardonnay and a gourmet picnic (Clay's heavy box contents) on the screened- in porch of their room, by the rippling lake.

Emily clasped Clay's hand, and squeezed it. "Let's buy the inn!"

Clay nodded, Revel barked, and it was a done deal!

Midnight Session: Intro

Just a few hours before, Samantha Monroe's life had been turned upside down, when she'd discovered her lover, Alex Maxwell, dead following an execution-style murder. More importantly for all of the elite 77(Samantha included), their leader had been killed. Because of Samantha's personal relationship with Alex, she very well knew that a contract was out on her, too. 
From what she had observed at the time, she instantly knew who had ordered the hit on Alex. It had the 99's signature all over it. It was like they had left a bloody calling card for her....and the rest of the 77. 
In addition, she knew about the long-standing intense rivalry between Alex and the head of the 99, a man named Jason Masters. 

To be continued.......