Fourth Vision of Destiny - Mike Read online

  “So he wasn’t the one for you?” she teased, as she stood next to him.

  Woods chuckled quietly. “He really wasn’t, no.”

  Daisy couldn’t help but wonder how graphic the vision had been this time. Some visions had to be uncomfortable for Woods to watch. Did he have any way of blocking the visions he didn’t want to see? She hoped for his sanity that he could do that. She still couldn’t fathom why he’d want to subject himself to that, even after he had explained. She shook her head to brush the thought away.

  “He’ll be happy, though,” she said, certainty coloring her words. “Won’t—”

  “Don’t,” he interrupted her sharply. When she turned a wounded look at him, he sighed. “I told you,” he said, his tone milder now. “I don’t discuss other people’s visions.”

  She pouted at him. “You told me about Joan’s.”

  “And I shouldn’t have.” He sounded uncomfortable now. “Even the little I said was too much. It didn’t concern you.”

  “But this concerns me,” she pointed out. “What Mike just asked me… the tulips? It’s something he saw, isn’t it?”

  Tulips on his birthday… It was just a month and half away. Had his vision taken place then? Would he find the love of his life that day?

  “Come on,” she insisted when Woods didn’t reply. “You can tell me that at least.”

  “Why should I?” Woods sounded tired suddenly, like this was an argument he had had many times before. “He didn’t explain. If he wanted you to know, he’d have told you.”

  Daisy turned her entire body toward him, one hand fisted in her shawl, the other pointing at him warningly. “They’re my friends,” she said coldly. “I’ve known all of them for at least ten years. Some since we were kids.”

  Woods looked at her pointed finger and made a move as though to push it away. Daisy drew back before he could.

  “And that gives you a right to know their future?” he asked, frowning.

  “No, it gives me a right to worry about them. And you…” She shook her head. “You barely even know their names. What right do you have to know about their futures? To see their most intimate moments?”

  And that was what bothered her most, she realized. She hadn’t told her friends after she had figured it out, and now she wished she had. She also knew she wouldn’t tell them; she doubted it would change the mind of those who hadn’t had a vision yet, and all it would do was embarrass the others.

  “I never claimed to have a right to it,” Woods said, tiredness once again dulling his words. He scrubbed his hands over his face and looked back at the ocean. “I never even wanted it. If I could stop right here, right now, and never have another vision again…”

  His voice trailed off into wistfulness. Daisy’s protest died on her lips, and she observed him with surprise. She had thought he enjoyed doing this; he certainly seemed enthusiastic enough whenever he talked about it. She wasn’t so sure anymore now.

  “Wouldn’t you miss it?” she asked more calmly.

  Woods cocked his head toward her. “Would I miss knowing that whatever woman I’m interested in will end up with someone else?” He shook his head just once. “No. I really wouldn’t.”

  It all finally clicked together. Why Woods was doing this. Why he didn’t sound like he enjoyed it all that much. Why he sounded so tired. Why he had been there at Helen’s wedding but had stayed away from her all evening as far as Daisy knew.

  “That’s what happened with my sister, isn’t it?” she asked very quietly. “You were interested in her, and then you knew she wasn’t for you.”

  “Yeah. We went on a couple of dates. And then we kissed. And then we were friends, but nothing more than friends.” His quiet laugh was almost painful. “That’s pretty much what happens with every one of my relationships.”

  That brought an incredulous look from Daisy. Eyes wide and eyebrow raised, she gave him a challenging look. “You’re telling me you’ve never done anything more than kiss a woman?”

  He answered with an impish smile. “Some of my girlfriends were grateful. Some of them talked so much about what they saw that they forgot it pretty fast.”

  “But you didn’t.”

  He shook his head, his grin turning bitter enough that Daisy suddenly felt like having a drink to wash away the taste clinging to her tongue.

  “I never do, no,” he murmured.

  Daisy wanted to pat his shoulder. The impulse surprised her, and she had some trouble resisting it. Instead, she clutched her shawl closer and gave him the warmest smile she could muster. “I hope you’ll see yourself someday,” she said softly. “It would be very unfair if you didn’t.”

  To be continued in: Fifth Vision of Destiny – Brett

  About the Author:

  Kallysten’s most exciting accomplishment to date was to cross a few thousand miles and an ocean to pursue (and catch!) the love of her life. She has been writing for fifteen years, and always enjoyed sharing her stories and listening to the readers' reactions. After playing with science fiction, short stories and poetry, she is now trying her hand, heart and words at paranormal romance novels.

  To see her other stories, including free short stories and sample chapters, visit http://original.kallysten.net

  Also available from Kallysten:

  Aria & Will

  In an indistinct future, humans and vampires are allied against the savage demons that relentlessly attack their cities. In the fortified town of Newhaven, a centuries-old vampire, Wilhelm, is slowly losing track of why he fights. Meeting the human child Ariadne and watching her grow up to become a fierce fighter reminds him of his purpose and gives a face to the humans he tries to protect. As years pass, however, and Aria becomes a young woman, then a vampire, his protectiveness slowly turns into love...

  Third Vision of Destiny – Joan

  As Daisy witnesses her friends’ distress, she can only wonder, yet again, if visions of one’s future are more damaging than they are helpful. She tries to argue with the seer Sam Woods about it, tries to convince her friends not to go through the experience, but without any success, and she can only watch as Joan goes to Woods – watch, and hope that this vision will not break apart Joan and her boyfriend Brad.

  In her vision, Joan is married to Brad, and they have two beautiful children. Everything seems perfect – except for the porn videos Joan discovers on the computer, that is. After her initial feelings of betrayal and talking about it with Brad, she realizes that, maybe, she could try to give Brad a very special Christmas gift by acting out his fantasy…

  Out of the Box series

  The first time Virginia went to the dance club On The Edge, she only wanted to find out what a night in a vampire's arms would be like. Anando showed her it could be much, much more than she had imagined.

  Over the next few months, every time she returned he continued to stretch her imagination and the boundaries she tried to set on their relationship.

  Soon, though, Anando's limits were tested as much as Virginia's when their sexual encounters gave way to feelings neither of them had expected.