Loving Reflections Read online

Loving Reflections

  by

  LC Cooper

  Copyright LC Cooper, 2015

  Cover design by [email protected]

  LC Cooper's Publicist is [email protected]

  Thank you for downloading this ebook. This book remains the copyrighted property of the author, and may not be redistributed to others for commercial or non-commercial purposes. If you enjoyed this book, please encourage your friends to download their own copy from their favorite authorized retailer. Thank you for your support.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

  * * * * *

  Here is the list of my titles, published at many fine retailers:

  Novels:

  Christmess

  Diary of a Reluctant Vampire

  Fortune Island – a Collin Roggero Adventure

  Legacy – a Collin Roggero Adventure

  Man Cave

  My Slice of Heaven

  Royal Venom – a Collin Roggero Adventure

  Simmering Consequences

  The Voices of Cellar's Bridge

  Short Stories:

  "Barefoot Homecoming"

  "Dragon's Den"

  "Dan's Accidental Convertible"

  "Halloween's Perfect Storm"

  "Heart's Lust"

  "Loving Reflections"

  "Of Yellow Snow and Christmas Balls"

  "One Lousy Wish"

  "There Was a Knock at the Door"

  * * * * *

  Table of Contents

  "Loving Reflections"

  Introducing Diary of a Reluctant Vampire

  About the Author, LC Cooper

  * * * * *

  Her shriek battered me awake. The morning sun's glare added to my confusion, and the headache and fatigue turned my dreamy grin into a frown. Nonetheless, my priority was to comfort the fire alarm sharing my bed. Replaying my dream would have to wait. Ah, but what a dream it always was.

  "I can't get this damn thing off," Nadine said while thrashing around in our bed.

  Careful to avoid her flailing elbow, I moved in closer, feigning shock and surprise. "Do you want help this time?" I meekly asked.

  "Yes! It's stuck on my finger again." Nadine flung the covers aside and flopped over to face me. "If this is your idea of a practical joke, it stopped being funny days ago."

  "Oh, Nadine …," I said, hoping I sounded concerned. "I-I had nothing to do …"

  "Then, who keeps putting this stupid ring on my finger?"

  "I'm not asking you to believe me, but..."

  "What I believe is that you put this stupid thing on me every night so that I'll give up, stop fighting, and just keep it on."

  "Trust me, that's not my intent at all."

  "Then, what is your intent, Damon?"

  "I'm telling you, it's not me. I have no plans to con you into keeping my great-grandmother's ring as your engagement ring."

  "Then, you explain this," she said while thrusting her fingertips into my chest. "And get it off my finger while you're explaining. Be careful, buddy. I'm tired of your nonsense and ready to pack …"

  Hers was a hostility I'd endured many times throughout the year, but this was the first time she'd threaten to leave. It was also an unexpected change in attitude. Up until today, she'd been docile and somewhat accepting. Perhaps this was the occasional resistance I was warned about.

  I pushed aside my dream and constructed a story to appease her. If she left now, my plan would be ruined—at the very least, delayed for another year or so.

  "You know what," I said while acting surprised, "I do remember you got up to use the bathroom last night. And, I heard you rummaging around in the drawer."

  "I don't remember anything after washing my hands."

  "Well, there you go," I said while giving my leg a slap. "I bet, subconsciously, part of you wants the ring for its nostalgia—its connection to the past."

  Nadine's expression softened "WE have been discussing wedding plans a lot lately." She studied the ring that was still stuck on her finger. "Maybe I did slide the ring on during the night." She leaned in and kissed me on the lips. "I'm sorry, Damon. You were so sweet to propose, and all the planning is fun but stressful. This ring, though, is not my style. It's so big and clunky. It's not a comfortable fit."

  I wouldn't admit it, because she needed to wear it, but it truly was an ugly ring. The story I'd told Nadine was that the ring was a family heirloom, my great-grandmother's wedding ring.

  "Come on, Damon, don't just sit there—give me a hand. It hurts."

  "Sure thing, Nadine. I hoped you'd like it. You know, we could get the band enlarged. Would that help?"

  In my hands, the ring was easy to manipulate because I was the key to its release. Not wishing to make Nadine suspicious, I pretended to struggle as I removed it. Nadine squealed in pain, which was enough of a distraction for me to slip the ring over her knuckle and off her finger.

  "Whew," I said, "it was on there good and tight, wasn't it? You need to stop slipping it on at night."

  "Give it a rest. I'm not ready to buy your latest b.s. story." She shook her hand and rubbed the depressions that encircled her finger. "They look and felt like little teeth, like small daggers digging into my skin. I don't know how you managed to work the ring loose."

  "Lotion," I lied. "I guess you didn't see me squirt some into my hand."

  "No, and I don't care now that it's off."

  I ran my fingertip around the inside edges of the ring, but I didn't feel any sharp points."How's this supposed to work if the ring is such a distraction?" I mumbled.

  "How's what supposed to work," Nadine said from within our closet.

  "Oh, it just saddens me that you can't wear the ring. It's been in the family for generations."

  "I understand its significance, which is very sweet and romantic, but rings aren't supposed to be painful—they're supposed to be comfortable, like a marriage."

  Sheepishly, I rolled my eyes and sneered—at myself—I cared deeply for Nadine, but the welling love I felt wasn't for her.

  Once Nadine left for work, I returned to the bathroom. "Well, what am I supposed to do now? She refuses to wear the ring."

  I was frustrated and impatient. Denice didn't answer, and I knew she couldn't until we met again in my dreams that night. I ached to hold her. What kept me going was that Halloween, and thus our one-year anniversary, was only three days away. However, a year's worth of careful planning was unraveling before my eyes simply because Nadine wouldn't cooperate.

  Nadine was a sweet girl, but our comfort-ability was boring. We were going through the motions of moving our relationship toward marriage, but my heart never was really in it. Denice, on the other hand, was everything I'd ever wanted in a woman—grace, poise, beauty, sexuality, style, and charm. I so much wanted to be by her side forever. Yet, we could only be together when I was asleep. In three days, that was to all change.

  "Denice! Hey, Denice Birdsong, where are you Gorgeous? I really need your help." As expected, she didn't answer. I was hoping whoever or whatever controlled this situation might bend the rules for a moment. Disappointed, I reached for the light switch.

  Hearing the rapping of knuckles on glass, I whirled around and grinned. I waved and blew a kiss, and Denice did the same. Her very-familiar scent wafted down from the air vents, enveloping me in her floral perfume.

  These were always peaceful encounters—I never was threatened, though friends and dates often complained about feeling watched when they were near mirrors.

  There Denice was … and wasn't. No one stood at the counter, but I clearly saw her reflection in the mirror.

&
nbsp; "H-How …?" I stammered.

  "You sounded so pathetic that it seems we were granted access early." She grinned, and my heart melted in response.

  "Only three days to go," I said.

  "I know! I'm so excited! Finally, we'll be together forever."

  It was my turn to grin. "I brought the mirror down from the attic. It was right where you said it would be. I'm surprised I didn't run into the thing last week when you sent me up there for the ring."

  Denice shrugged and said, "You weren't looking for it. Hey, I bet the reason we're able to talk right now is because of the mirror's proximity. Where, exactly, is it?"

  "I propped it against the wall behind the bedroom door. Then, tomorrow, as you told me, I'll set it up on its floor stand and begin cleaning it."

  "I remember the wax was very thick. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to complete the job. IF we miss this window, we'll have to wait another year."

  "I am not going to let that happen!" I said with a grin. "That's why I'll begin scraping off the wax a day early."

  "Thank you!" she said, and then turned fully around. Because of how we were standing—in front of bathroom counters—she was visible only from the waist up, but what I could see was still amazing.

  My slack jaw told her more than words. She giggled, and then said, "Good, you still like what you see?"

  I was so entranced that I responded with a feeble nod. I so wanted to smell her, feel her breath upon my face, hold her in my arms, and make passionate love to her.

  Denice's eyes opened wide, and she said, "Oh my, you're a naughty boy, aren't you, Damon!"

  "That obvious, huh?" I said. "Gotta admit, I'm worn out from all the waiting. Meeting up in dreams has been great, but here you are in front of me, and you look and sound amazing, Baby. I want our reality to begin now, not in a few days.

  "All good things come to those who wait, right, Honey?" Denice looked at many of the brightly lit and colorful features of the bathroom, and then glanced at the darkness that surrounded her. She began sobbing, "Your year is nothing compared to the misery I've endured trapped within this glass cage. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I smelled fresh air, tasted food, felt the warmth of another person's touch? After getting out of here," she said, pounding the mirror so hard it vibrated, "the first thing I want to do, after kissing you, is to run—doesn't matter the direction, or to where—I just want to run out in the sunlight. It's so—so damn cold, so barren within the thin walls of these mirrors."

  "Easy, Baby, easy," I said, wishing more than ever I was holding her, comforting her. "Like you said, what do three little days matter?"

  Denice looked deeply into my eyes. Hers burned with a fiery intensity that I hadn't ever seen. "Every moment in here feels like an eternity. Please, please, please get the mirror ready for me." She dabbed the corners of her eyes with her fingertips, and then added, "You must get Nadine ready, too. It's critical, now, that she keeps the ring on her finger."

  "But, she hates wearing it. I don't see how ..."

  "Don't worry. At this point, as close as we are, if you slip it on her finger while she sleeps tonight, the ring will become impossible to remove until after the transition begins. Also, her resistance will diminish—she will become receptive. Trust me, Honey, as long as by Halloween night, you get all the wax off the mirror and bring Nadine into this bedroom, everything will be okay. I bet, before long, we'll barely remember the anxiety and …"

  "Your prison, right?"

  Denice shook her head. "No, this place is a living hell. I'm afraid the ugly scar of its memory will be with me forever."

  The radio on my nightstand was playing "Put Your Head on My Shoulder." I said, "Care to dance, Gorgeous?"

  "I'd love to, Honey." She sniffled, wiped her face on her sleeve, and stood straight.

  I watched in the mirror as we adjusted our positions to resemble a couple slow dancing. She curled into my chest and nuzzled her forehead into my neck. I held my arms to appear as if I was holding her hips. I swear I felt her pressure and presence with me. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply through my nose, inhaling the sweetness and sexy aroma of her perfume.

  "You feel great, Honey," Denice said between sniffles. "Don't ever let me go … promise, Damon."

  Then, she shuddered and let out a pathetic sigh. "The-The cold is sinking in again. I'm being pulled away from you … from the mirror. See you tonight in your dreams, My Love."

  I opened my eyes to see what was happening. She was gone—not in my arms, not in the mirror, nowhere. I felt so alone without her.

  Making matters worse, at this moment, the two most important women in my life were hurting, and I was powerless to help either of them. Someone else held the puppet strings.

  I suppose it was my duty to break the spell and tell Nadine the truth about Denice, her mirrored prison, and our plot, but Denice—gorgeous, hot, lovely Denice—meant everything to me. She was perfect, and oh, how I craved her. "When so consumed by love, what else matters," I said to my reflection before leaving the bathroom.

  For the next two days, Nadine and I bickered frequently and generally stayed away from each other until bedtime. I was consumed with cleaning the mirror, and she had become sad and listless.

  "Damon, for the record, I absolutely detest this ring. It's not me, my style, and I never liked Black Hills gold … grapes, leaves, and stems … I'm not a rabbit, for God's sake. My friends tease me, saying it looks like you got it out of a bubble-gum machine. You promised, you promised me that you'd replace this hideous mess, and yet, here it remains, stuck on my finger. With a frustrated grunt, she twisted and pulled so hard on the ring that her left hand slipped away and raked my cheek. The ring's stones and prongs tore a hole in my face, and the wound felt like it was on fire.

  "Serves you right," Nadine shouted, but then stopped, astonished. "What's-What's it doing?"

  The wound pulsated green—I saw its glow reflected in Nadine's glasses. The painful burn gave way to a soothing, cool, and tingling sensation. Within seconds, in the time it took to raise my hand to my cheek, the gouge was completely healed, as if the incident had never occurred.

  "Where did it go" Nadine glanced nervously back and forth between my cheek and her ring, not comprehending "What's really going on?"

  Instead of sticking around to discuss it, Nadine spooked and dashed out into the hall and then down the stairs. I dutifully began to follow, but returned to the bedroom upon hearing her car start. I didn't bother calling Nadine to hack through this latest drama—I had a deadline that I was fanatically determined to meet.

  Admittedly, I was distracted to the point of insanity. Denice, an amazingly beautiful woman, was practically throwing herself at me, needing me to rescue her, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to help her until Halloween night.

  During the next two days, I diligently chipped and scraped away the thick matte of wax that covered the front of the mirror. Denice told me the wax protected the five-hundred-year-old mirror from damage and deterioration while in storage. Sweating, and coated in dust and grime, I cursed the thoroughness of the person who encased the mirror so long ago.

  The night before Halloween finally arrived, and I felt like a ball of stress wrapped within a shell of giddy euphoria. Still unable to explain the unnatural events of the last few days, I was again relegated to the couch while Nadine slept behind our bedroom's locked door.

  I was relieved to meet Denice in my dreams. Although ecstatic to see her, I was physically exhausted and mentally drained. I demanded an explanation for my cheek's seemingly miraculous recovery and Nadine's extreme anger and paranoia.

  Instead of answering, though, Denice said, "Damon, Honey, you're mine until the morning, so let's enjoy these last few hours until we're permanently together".

  I pushed Denice back a bit and looked deeply into her amazing eyes. "I only love you, Denice, and that's forever. But it was your idea for Nadine and me to hook up. I still don't understand …"
/>   "I'm relieved to see she's still wearing the ring," Denice said, changing the subject. She put two fingers to my lips to silence me. With a dismissive wave of her other hand, she added, "You'll see, My Love. Tomorrow night, all of your fears and concerns will disappear. Nadine will become just another fading memory for you. One thing's for certain, once you and I are together, you will never sleep alone on another couch ever again."

  Satisfied with her vision of our future together, I said, "What now? What's next? Most of the wax is off the mirror."

  "Yes, yes, I've been watching you. For my successful return to civilization, you must scrape off every bit of the wax residue. So, I still need your help … and I need Nadine's even more."

  She pressed into me again, and we kissed passionately. Love welled in me so strongly that I feared waking up and shouting Denice's name. Pulling away slightly, Denice forced a smile as I wiped a tear from the corner of her eye.

  "What I tell you next might hurt you, and it will forever change your relationship with Nadine."

  During the past year, I learned to accept the bizarre as facets of my love for Denice. "Please go on."

  "Damon, Honey, you can't imagine how cold and lonely I've been, sitting in the musty, drafty darkness of this tomb-like prison, watching the world go by from behind slabs of mirrored glass. Many people pass through this house, oblivious of me, and yet I am only permitted the occasional dream-state interaction. How precious life is if … only if I can escape this hell."

  "After I finish cleaning the mirror, what do you need from me? What's Nadine's role in your escape?"

  "Another … must take my place."

  "I was afraid you would say that. Denice, I love you so much that my heart aches, and I long for the day when we can be together forever, but I won't, I can't…"

  "I am not expecting you to trade places with me. Besides, it doesn't work that way."

  "Then, what needs to happen to get you released?"

  "Only another woman can take my place," she said in a whisper.

  "Nadine? You've been working me over this past year to get her …"

  "I'm desperate, Damon, but not devious. Alone in my prison, I've had a lot of time to think. Inside, I really am a good person. I did some dumb things, and I hurt those who loved and cared for me. This dark, depressing tomb is a sobering punishment."

  She shivered, and I rubbed her soft, bare arms with my hands.

  Denice smiled meekly. "You're everything to me, Damon. Whoever is in charge of this place behind the mirrors allowed me to reach out to you—to prove that I am humbled and can care for another person again."

  "But, why Nadine? I-I'm honored, Denice, and I truly only love you, but Nadine's been pretty good to me. I'd feel terrible tricking her into trading places with you."

  "Then, I will remain imprisoned here forever—nothing more than a distant memory to you."

  "Please don't talk this way. There must be another …"

  "Trading places is the only option. The transition is how this works."

  "Hold on a minute. I just thought of something. Behind the mirrors, and in my dreams, you aren't physically there."

  Denice smirked. "That's the kicker. My essence—my life force—is trapped. My body never left the physical world."

  "Then, the answer is simple. Tell me where your body is, probably in suspended animation somewhere, and I'll bring it back to you, and …"

  "I was tricked into trading places with the woman who was trapped in here before me."

  "So …"

  "Her essence is in my body. I have absolutely no idea who she is now or where she is."

  "Then, if you and Nadine trade places, I'll never see you again?"

  "Are you in love with my looks or my personality."

  I shrugged, sensing the trap. "Both, Denice. You're a perfect package, and once returned to your body …"

  "Nope. I told you, it doesn't work that way, Honey. To be with you, I have to take over Nadine's body."

  I was sweating and shaking. I had no idea that her target was Nadine. "She's so sweet and innocent," I mumbled.

  "Really? Boy, does she have you fooled. I'm surprised; I believed you were much more aware."

  "Now, you sound like you're trying to wedge doubt between Nadine and me."

  "Me? Damon, you're the one who just asserted that you love me so much that it hurts. What do you truly feel for Nadine? Would her loss really hurt if you gain me?"

  "But, I wouldn't get all of you."

  "how shallow …"

  "No, what I mean is that every time I look at you, I will see her, and she will remain a constant reminder that I helped entrap her, committing her soul to a life within the mirrors."

  "Sure, it's a heavy price, Damon, but think of it this way—I'll be given another chance at life. You and I will be happy for the rest of our lives together."

  "Yeah, it does sound good, but …"

  "But nothing. It's time to choose, Damon. What's it going to be? Me or her?" Denice pulled away from me and said, "You have less than twenty-four hours to make your choice."

  This was Denice's and my first fight, and it was profound. I startled awake with a massive headache.

  Nadine stumbled groggily out of our bedroom and flopped down beside me on the sofa. "It's on my finger again. Last night, I soaped my left hand enough that the ring finally came off, but not without tearing up my knuckle though. All that work for nothing 'cause it's right back on my finger. All I have to show for my effort is a nasty scab."

  "Your knuckle didn't heal up like my cheek did. It's as if fate is telling you," I said, and then I shuddered. Instinctively, I glanced up to the ceiling as if Denice was floating up there watching. "The ring …" I said.

  Nadine moved to stand in front of me. Thrusting her hand into my face, she said, "I don't know whether to leave you or move the wedding date up. You certainly seem desperate to keep this thing on my finger."

  I rubbed my aching neck and said, "You kept the door locked, and I don't have a key. I assure you, Baby, I didn't do it."

  Resignedly, she said, "Yeah, yeah, I know. I locked it inside my jewelry box, which I stuffed inside a blanket in the closet. You couldn't have found it. I just don't understand why my subconscious is so determined. It's not like I'm desperate to get married."

  Instead of walking into that trap, I took her hand in mine and gently tugged and twisted, but the ring wouldn't budge. Now, it wouldn't turn. I grabbed it tightly and gave it my hardest twist, which produced a howl of pain from Nadine.

  "It's as if it's glued on," I said, giving the ring another tug. I then thought about how adamant Denice was that the ring remain on Nadine's finger all Halloween day. Then, it came to me that the ring was a catalyst, or maybe the conduit, to transport Nadine into the mirrors while Denice emerged within Nadine's body.

  I lost the train of thought when Nadine yawned and said, "I'm very tired today. "I don't think I'm up for the office party tonight. Let's just stay in and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters."

  So focused on Denice's rescue was I that Nadine's office party and handing out candy completely slipped my mind. Nadine saw my relieved expression, but wanted to know why I didn't want to go out on my favorite holiday.

  "I'm anxious to finish cleaning up that antique mirror for you. Besides, you and I have been bickering so much lately that I'm not in the partying mood."

  "Yeah, probably best we stay in."

  She headed for the shower while I returned to removing the remaining wax from the mirror. Nadine barely paid attention to it, or me, as she groggily went about getting ready for the day. After exchanging a few pleasantries and a quick kiss, she ambled downstairs and outside to her car. I wondered if she was aware of what was to happen later. Although it made me sad to think Nadine was off enjoying her last hours of sunlit freedom, I was overjoyed that I'd soon have Denice—or at least Denice in Nadine's body. I grimaced and shook off the doubt, choosing to focus on the tasks ahead of me.

  On
ce reattached to its three-legged, claw-foot base, the framed mirror stood over six-feet tall, and it took all my strength to lay it flat. A thin waxy film still coated most of its mirrored surface, which I would get to soon, but my target was the mass of black candle stubs stuck atop the frame. I'd been working on the thing for days, but I never came up with a reasonable explanation for using wax in this manner. It may have kept the silver coating attached or the mahogany frame supple, but what a pain in the butt to clean away. I quit griping and focused on my prize—getting Denice released and into my arms.

  I feverishly scraped, chopped, sawed, and sliced blocks of the wax away until the frame was clean, and the dulled smears on its glass surface were all that remained.

  Slowly, strip by strip, I scraped away this final layer of cloudy wax, wondering what famous people may have stood before the mirror over the ages. After scrubbing the remaining bits off its surface, I stood it back up to admire my handiwork.

  It truly was a magnificent mirror. Massive by itself, the inches-wide mahogany frame made the whole thing intimidating. The trim work was dainty and delicate, which didn't seem to blend with the sturdy design. Nevertheless, I oiled the wood, buffed the whole thing again, and worked it into a more prominent place in the bedroom.

  I bent down to pick up my buckets of tools and cleaning supplies, and then heard a familiar voice say, "Hey there, good looking."

  I was shocked—dusk was still hours away, and although it was Halloween, I didn't expect Denice to appear yet. Nervously, I sprinted to the bedroom door and closed it in case Nadine had returned home

  "Denice?" I anxiously called out. "Where are you, Gorgeous?" Ever since bringing the mirror down from the attic, I hoped that cleaning away the wax would somehow release her from her prison within the mirrors—kind of like how Aladdin rubbed the grime off the oil lamp and released the genie.

  I raced around the suite, and then into the bathroom and closet, but my calls out to her went unanswered. Frustrated that my overwrought imagination conjured up the whole thing, I washed my face and stared into the mirror behind the sink. Leaning forward against the counter's edge, and propped up on my elbows, I wondered where Denice was, and if she felt as excited and nervous as I did.

  I snapped out of my daydream and scrambled into the bedroom when I heard Denice say, "Where are you, Honey I can't see you."

  "You did it!" I yelled, "Baby, you escaped!" The magic of Halloween must have released her without dragging Nadine into that horrible fate. Relieved that the pressure was off of me, I scanned the room for Denice, but I still couldn't find her. "Where are you hiding, Denice? Not a funny game …"

  "I'm standing right behind you, Honey. Turn around."

  My euphoria drained down to my feet when I realized Denice was talking to me from within the standing floor mirror. Once Again faced with the heaviness of deciding Nadine's fate, I was less than enthusiastic when I turned around to face Denice. However, my good mood returned. In awe, I gasped when I saw Denice standing fully within the mirror's frame. "You-You are even more beautiful than ever."

  "Thank you, Damon! Wow, you cleaned this portal up nicely." She turned around, prancing, so I could see every perfect inch of her. "Well, are you ready for me?"

  Distracted by her sexy teasing, it took a little while for her words to sink in. "You called this mirror a portal, Denice. What did you mean?"

  "You're a bright boy—it's not that hard to figure out. Call it whatever you wish, but This is nothing more than a glass prison to me." The disappointment on her face transitioned into a big grin. "Do you feel it, Honey? We are so close now, so much closer to being together forever."

  Puzzled, I started to question her abrupt mood swing, but went along with her happier attitude; I, too, felt a shiver of excitement. "Yeah, Gorgeous, I'm ready."

  I pressed my palms flat against the mirror's surface, a movement that Denice copied. There we stood, admiring each other, knowing that only a thin layer of glass stood between us.

  "So close, but yet, so far away.," she said with a sigh.

  "Why don't I smash the mirror? That would release you, right?"

  "The mirror represents the only way in and out. Let's pretend, for a moment, that you did shatter the mirror—I'd be smashed into little bits as well because I exist within its confines. Trust me, others have tried without success. The woman who trapped me in here thought similarly. She tried to destroy it to keep me from getting out and forcing her back in. She attacked the mirror and its frame with hammers, an axe, all sorts of tools. She even tried to light it on fire, but as you can see, there isn't a scratch anywhere."

  "So, she sealed it with thick, black wax to …"

  Denice sighed and said, "To stop me from talking directly to her, and so she wouldn't see me anymore. She continued to drip coat after coat of wax down the mirror until she no longer heard my cries for help. Then, she hid this mirror, and the ring, in the attic."

  "How-How sad and tragic," I said. "yeah, I thought something was odd about the wax—the facts didn't add up. Since all the wax is off now, can't you just leap out of there? I'm ready to catch you," I said while extending my arms out toward Denice.

  "Not yet, My Love. There is still that final step that must occur."

  "But physically, you'll be Nadine—a fact that will haunt me for the rest of my life."

  "Isn't it a fair trade, though? Look, I can tell that you two don't really dig each other. She's had many, many doubts."

  "You can read her mind?"

  "Don't need to. She talks a lot to herself while doing her hair and makeup in the bathroom."

  "You can see and hear everything in the other mirrors in the house, but I can only see and hear you from this mirror? Hardly seems fair."

  "Not a damn thing about this situation is fair, Damon. And Frankly, I'm worn out trying to keep my sanity while we inch toward my freedom. I want out, Honey, and I want out now. Please, please help me."

  "Oh, I will, Denice. You can count on me. I just need a little more time to sort things out in my head."

  "Too much time has been wasted already!" Oddly, Denice's face hardened for a moment. I wondered if there was anything else she was hiding from me.

  "Tell me," I said, "what does the ring have to do with your release

  "You figured out that this mirror and the ring go together, did you? Excellent. Well, the ring is a catalyst for the transition. The wearer becomes less ambivalent, more open to keeping the ring on, accepting her fate …"

  "Sounds like it turns whoever wears it into some sort of zombie."

  "Really? Do I look like a zombie? No, my dear, once the ring makes a permanent connection to the woman wearing it, it assists in the release of her essence—her soul—which allows me, then, to leap into her body at the same time her essence is drawn into the mirror."

  "Ugh, sounds cold and callous."

  "Survival of the fittest, I suppose. Look, I've done my time and my penance. I'm ready to stretch out my wings and fly again. Are you with me?"

  "Of course, Denice. I want it no other way. I do feel sorry for Nadine though. She is such a sweet girl."

  "Not as sweet as you think, Damon. She's been socking money away in case it doesn't work out with you. Then, she's said a bunch of crap to her mother about backup plans. Actually, it's a good thing the ring became permanent when it did. Nadine was so aggravated that she was planning to leave you this weekend."

  "How-How do you know all of this? Oh, from inside the bathroom mirror …"

  "Bingo, so back to my question. When are you going to release me from this jail, sheriff?"

  "Sooner than I had planned," I said while stewing on what she'd said about Nadine.

  "Tonight, shortly after dinner and before her usual shower time."

  "Perfect! Oh, I'm so excited, Damon! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for helping me. I promise, I'll be yours for eternity."

  Still, in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the image of Nadine trapped behind the mirror
while physically being with her every moment of our lives. Even with Denice's soul inside Nadine's body, there's no way everything would be good from this.

  I suppose I didn't blame Nadine for talking to her mother about leaving me. Certainly, my heart hadn't been fully into the relationship, and marriage seemed like such a prison sentence. In the end, if I married Nadine, she and I would be trapped in a loveless marriage, and Denice would still be trapped within the mirrors. At least, I reasoned, with Denice released into Nadine's body, then Denice and I would be happy, while only Nadine would be trapped. Seemed like this was a better solution—not a perfect one, but better than the first option.

  Dinner came and went. Nadine was unusually quiet and demure, as if she sensed a major, sad change was coming. She wouldn't talk about it though, and seemed to act resigned to her fate.

  My heart hurt, and my soul cried out, NO! Don't do this to her, Damon." But then, I'd think of Denice, our undying love for each other, and the misery she endured being trapped so long behind the mirrors.

  It was time for bed. Nadine was astounded at how beautiful the mirror was, and she squeezed me tightly while we stood before it. She was smiling now, being so sweet, as if her drugged soul was crying out to me for help.

  I felt like shit, so ready to betray and abandon her.

  "Who-who's that … in the mirror?" Nadine said sleepily.

  A dark tunnel appeared in the mirror above our heads. A silhouetted figure slowly emerged from the tunnel's depths. Nadine and I were silent, but I knew from the sway of her hips and swagger that it was Denice … returning to life. I closed my eyes and pulled Nadine tightly into my side and chest. She was so sluggish. Whatever was in that ring made her totally submissive.

  Denice's image occupied most of the mirror's area—Nadine's and my reflections weren't visible. Denice looked down at Nadine, hunched over and leaning into me, and said, "I am so glad to finally meet you, Nadine. I very much appreciate your arrival. I promise to take very, very good care of you … your body."

  "Wh-What's she talking about, Damon. I don't understand," Nadine said between yawns.

  "It's nothing, my dear," Denice said. "Damon, be a good lad and bring your little friend up to the mirror."

  I hesitated, first looking down at Nadine all curled up and asleep against my chest, then up at Denice—whose eyes were alight with the glow and clarity of a piercing depth I'd never seen before.

  "I said, bring … her … closer," Denice said with a guttural growl in her voice.

  I said, "Denice, calm down. I-I really don't like the way this is going. You-You're acting so strange … so different."

  Suddenly, Denice straightened up and shook her head, as if shaking away the fog of a trance. "Oh, thank you, Honey, for making me aware. For a moment, the old me was coming through. Whew! Okay, let's get on with this, shall we? You and I have a lot of catching up to do."

  Denice flashed me that amazing smile of hers again, but this time, I noticed a difference. Instead of her teeth being pearly white as usual, they were grey, cracked, and twisting before my eyes.

  She must have seen the shocked look on my face because she said, "Damon, My Love, we are at a critical junction right now. Both Nadine and I are exposed during this transition. I'm probably aging before your eyes as our life forces begin trading places."

  I paused again when I heard Nadine weakly say, "I trust you, Damon." As if on cue, Nadine slumped heavily, and I almost dropped her.

  Denice tapped on the glass to get my attention. "Quickly, there isn't much time left, Damon. You need to place both palms of her hands on the mirror, and then I'll do the same so that our hands are nearly touching. Then, the circuit will be complete. My essence will transfer through one set of hands while hers transfers through the other set. Come on, Damon, just a little closer … almost … there …"

  I happened to look up at Denice's face at this moment. A pulsating green crack appeared across Denice's right cheek. To my astonishment, a series of intersecting cracks spread across her forehead—these, too, flashed between emerald green and muddy brown.

  Repulsed, I backed away from the mirror, giving Nadine's body a hard yank backwards, but her hands didn't budge off the mirror.

  "Fool! It's too late now to save her. The transformation is in process. There is no turning back now."

  I continued to tug and yank on Nadine's body and forearms, desperate to break the bond, but nothing, absolutely nothing worked. Oh, what an idiot I had been. I looked down at Nadine's sleeping face, so peaceful and innocent, and then said, "I am so sorry, Nadine, to have done this to you. You don't deserve to be trapped inside the mirrors. I love you, Baby. I love you so much. Please, please don't leave me."

  My focus was on Nadine, and not at all on Denice, until I heard a hiss followed by a vicious, bellowing roar. Nadine startled, and I shielded her eyes so that she would be spared the vision before us. "I truly loved you, Nadine," I said before kissing her forehead. "Please forgive me … please."

  Nadine's hands quivered, and then her arms fell by her side, and she slipped out of my grasp and onto the floor. I dropped to my knees and held her hand, which is when I noticed the ring was gone from her finger.

  "No!" screamed Denice "The transformation … it's impossible … It-It can't be!"

  Then, I looked up at Denice's face. Gone was the beauty I thought I'd loved. Pain, twisted, rage, sneering … all these emotions and expressions seemed to ooze from her image. I realized Denice was no longer focused on me, or with getting Nadine back up to the mirror. Instead, she was staring at her left hand. There, firmly embedded was the ring on her finger.

  Denice howled with fury and pain. "I can't stay trapped. I want out, now! Let me out of here!" She furiously clawed at the ring and her finger, but the ring didn't budge. Shaking with rage, she let out a tormented scream, and then all of her skin cracked and fell away—revealing a hideous apparition. Oblivious to my staring, the beast that I thought was Denice focused on attempting to amputate its own finger. Shark-like teeth slashed and tore at the ring and finger, but after each bite, the wound repaired itself.

  Instinctively, I reached up and touched my cheek at the spot that had been damaged by the ring. I shuddered to think how close I'd gone to releasing that beast from behind the mirrors.

  Realizing it couldn't remove the ring, Denice, or whatever it really was, stood and glared at me. "You-You ruined everything." It leaped forward at the glass, slamming its body into the unyielding mirror time after time. I stood there watching this desperate act, unable to tear myself away. I just couldn't believe this was happening.

  "I-I will kill you, boy," the thing bellowed, "you and your little rag doll!." With each successive attempt at smashing through the glass, the power of each thrust, and the anger in the beast's voice, became weaker and weaker. Eventually spent, it collapsed on the black floor inside the mirror and wept—long, laborious cries of frustration. Assuming Denice's voice again, it cried out for me to help it.

  Instead of exposing us to further attacks, I scooped Nadine up into my arms and raced out of the house. We spent the next three nights in a hotel room.

  Nadine said that she remembered nothing about standing in front of the mirror with me. Also, she believed my story that we were living at the hotel while our house was being treated for termites. Worried at first, I was relieved that Nadine didn't remember the ring or any incidents involving it.

  I didn't sleep at all the first night away, believing Denice's threats and terrified she'd attack while we slept. The next night, I accidentally fell asleep while reading a book. Thankfully, my dreams weren't haunted by Denice, which I attributed to the confining properties of the ring.

  On the fourth day, I got up the nerve to re-enter the house, after rationalizing that the beast couldn't escape. I pushed the bedroom door open slightly, hoping to listen for any movements or sounds, but the door's creaking gave me away.

  "Honey, is that you?" I heard Denice's voice say. "Hello, anybody there?" />
  I realized that she, it, was still trapped within the mirror, otherwise, the door would be seen opening. However, the bedroom door was around the corner from the mirror.

  "Who's there?" called out Denice's melodious voice. "I'm betting it's you, Damon. Come on over here. I won't bite."

  Brandishing a pistol, I walked over to the bed's footboard—about fifteen feet away from the mirror. There stood Denice, in all her beauty and glory.

  "Want to see what you're missing, Honey?" she said. I'd be an idiot to say that I didn't get aroused by the strip-tease she performed, but in my heart and head, I knew what she really was and the motivation behind her act.

  "Thank you," I said as she twirled around, fully nude. Hers was a glorious body, but it was merely an illusion. I said, "Denice, or whatever you are, your game is over—I'm no longer playing. I certainly now understand why the portal mirror was caked in thick, black wax."

  Denice uttered a guttural, menacing growl, but remained in her current form.

  Emboldened, I said," Beast, please tell me why you can't escape … why you and Nadine lost your connection during the transformation."

  Denice's shape gave way to that of the beast. It rested on its haunches and stared at me. Ruby-red and coal-black eyes glared at me while it continued to growl menacingly.

  I glared back at the monster and said, "I'm no longer in love with Denice, and your posturing doesn't intimidate me in the least. This is your chance to explain things, pal."

  "Oh, very well," the beast said with a huff. "That stupid emotion broke off the transformation—that insipid, smarmy one called love. I really didn't think you loved Nadine, Damon. It seemed like you were always just going through the motions. It infuriates me to admit this, but you beat me. Although I will continue to try to break out of here, I will probably forever remain imprisoned within the walls of mirrors."

  It's form flickered back and forth between its image and Denice's while it said, "Who knows, one day, some other human might come along and actually free me." Then, the beast leaned forward and tapped the mirror's glass with a craggy finger. "And when I do get out, I will hunt you down, Damon, and tear you limb from limb." Then, the beast stood. "Of course, there is an alternative to such a hideous death. I can make a deal with you that would grant you life eternal."

  I smirked. "As I've demonstrated, you no longer sway me, beast. Haven't been in my dreams since your escape attempt, have you? It's because you're wearing the ring, isn't it? You are forever trapped within that miserably tiny space. The ring can't be used as the conduit any longer because it's forever affixed to your finger … and trapped inside the mirrors, too. Am I right?"

  Startled by the beast's ferocity, I hurried to the far side of the bedroom. Although it remained upright, the mirror swayed and rocked on its legs as the monster repeatedly smashed its shoulder against the mirror. Realizing the futility of its attack, the intensity slowed to a stop as I walked out of the bedroom. I soon returned carrying a ladder and a bag of supplies.

  "What-What are you doing?" the beast stammered.

  "What I should have done when I first discovered this portal. I'm going to destroy it so you can never escape … never hurt anyone again."

  The beast snarled and leaped at the glass, but the mirror simply bowed slightly before thrusting the beast backward. "See, you stupid human? If I can't destroy this thing with all my might, how do you propose to do it?" The beast let out a roaring, demonic and mocking laugh.

  When I was scraping away the last of the wax off the mirror on Halloween, I realized the wax was used to seal Denice inside while it acted as a warning sign. So, against the backdrop of the beast slamming into the mirror, I calmly set the ladder up beside the mirror and carried my bag of supplies up it. I set alight several large, black candles and placed them atop the mirror's frame. Then, I stood and watched, adjusting the candles and their molten flow, to produce a thick covering to seal up the mirror.

  It was pathetic watching and listening to the beast switch back and forth between its form and Denice's, begging, pleading, and threatening me as the mirror's sheen dulled and then disappeared beneath wave after wave of thick, congealing black wax. The beast's attempts to dislodge the candles by crashing its body into the mirror failed miserably—doing so actually helped speed up the wax-melting process. With each of the monster's thrusts, more melted wax splashed out and exposed new wax to the flames.

  Once the mirror was completely coated and the wax had cooled, I no longer heard or felt anything from within the mirror. Satisfied with my results, I covered the whole thing with moving blankets, and loaded it into the back of my truck.

  The drive down to the dock was uneventful, and within thirty minutes, I was steering my boat toward the edge of the ocean's continental shelf. It took most of the day getting way out there, but as dusk approached, I chopped back the engine's throttle. Someone, or something, within the mirror sensed what I was about to do because of all the commotion coming from inside it. Without hesitation, I gave the mirror a shove. It dropped over the side of my boat and into the water.

  As expected, the mirror didn't float at all. It shot straight down out of sight within moments. I thought it might flutter, like a sheet of paper or a leaf, but it seemed like whoever was guarding this portal wanted it buried deeply in the mud at the bottom of the Atlantic. Constantly scanning the surface for blobs of wax or pieces of wood, I waited until the sun was well beyond the western horizon to start the motor and head for home

  The next morning, Nadine and I moved back into the house and resumed our normal routines. Nadine still had no memories of Denice and the mirror. Later that day, Nadine returned home with a shopping bag filled primarily with deep-cover cream. Ignorant of such things, I set the jars on her side of the bathroom counter and put the rest of the toiletries away.

  As the steaks finished cooking outside on the grill, I called out to Nadine that dinner was ready.

  ~~ ** ~~

  "I'll be down in a minute, Honey," Nadine hollered. She dipped her fingertips into a jar of deep-cover makeup, and then leaned far over the bathroom sink until her face was just inches away from the mirror. She brought her coated fingertips up to her face, and then hesitated. While staring at her forehead, Nadine let out a low, rumbling chuckle. Then, she rubbed the makeup onto the pulsating patch of green skin.

  The End

  ###

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  Author's Note

  Thank you for purchasing and reading "Loving Reflections." I hope you enjoyed this story of suspense. Who do you see in the mirror?

  I wish to thank God, my family, friends, and readers who provided support during the evolution of this story.

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  Introducing Diary of a Reluctant Vampire, a novel by LC Cooper