Chapter 10

Richie threw back his head and laughed as he looked at the brown spot on Bailey’s nose. She'd run right into his cone as they'd played childishly walking arm in arm. With a final chuckle he leaned over and licked the spot then laughed again as she screwed up her face in feigned disgust.

So he thought it was funny? She glanced up at the chuckle, only to see the heat swimming in his eyes. "So you thought it was funny hmm?"

With a sudden move she tilted her ice cream, the frozen concoction making connection with his cheek. "Well look at that, Richie ala mode."

She leaned in, her tongue flickering over his cheek. "Yummy."

He laughed again and pulled her in close. They'd just made love again not more than 20 minutes ago yet he was hard for her again already. He glanced over his shoulder gauging the distance between here and their little cove. Their little cover? When had it become theirs? He grunted knowing it was a good mile back now. The hotel room was closer. He gave her a sideways once over and felt the heat rise even more. Her hair was in sexy disarray, still wet from their romp in the waves, her clothes were still damp. He saw her pert nipples poking the cool moist fabric. He was used to being a horny guy but damn it all to hell Bailey made him almost frenzied. He stopped short and wrapped his free arm around her waist bending his head for a passionate kiss. "I'm so done out here babe, let's go back to the room hmm?"

She returned the kiss breathlessly, her hands twining into his sea salted and tangled brown locks. Even the smell of sea salt added to his allure. Damp clothing sticking to his muscular chest and lanky legs made him seem even more dangerous. Tilting her head to the side she nodded. "That sounds like even more fun."

She turned, her arm winding about his waist, her eyes widening as the lady from the day before started their way. "Oh no, I think psychic lady is a fan?"
"The who?" he asked as they started off. He craned his neck back and left then right until his gaze settled on an older woman with leathery skin. She was dressed in jeans and a brightly colored filmy shirt, he hair was black and peppered strongly with grey, she was shouting yet her voice was gentle "You! You! I must speak with you! Both of you I must!"

She winced, her body tensing at the tone of her voice. Something in that voice boded ill for them both, she could just feel it. "Let's just keep walking. I mean that shit's just drivel right?" She glanced up at him, and saw his reluctance. Hell.

She sighed, knowing then if someone called on him, his gentlemanly attitude couldn't ignore it. He was polite, for all his dangerous bad boy appeal. "I mean, she's too old to be a fan, she's just trying...." she sighed as he stopped and turned, his smile already in place. "Ok then we'll stop."

Richie shrugged as the woman approached and said to bailey out of the side of his mouth "Let's just hear what she has to say hmm?"

She nodded swiftly, her eyes honed into the woman as they beckoned her over. As Richie started towards her she took a deep breath, her hand tightening in his. Well if anything this should be interesting. "sure thing Cowboy. But if she tells you to go meet some curly headed blonde, we're leaving."

"Huh?" he looked at her strangely before shaking the woman’s hand and turning his attention to her."What can we do for you ma'am?" he asked courteously.

"You are the ones, I've seen it." She said she turned her attention to Bailey "It's not his safety you need to fear my dear but your own. The joker is strong and he is not what you might first think."

Richie blinked and frowned "The joker?"
The woman shook her head "Please come with me to my shop I must read you both, please?" she pleaded

The woman’s eyes were sharp and clear, she could see no unusual craziness within the deep grey eyes. Her words however scared her to death considering the dream of the day before. She shook her head, not wanting to be read, unwilling to hear anything bad. "I don't know, just how much do you want for this 'reading'?"

"Nothing, I want nothing" she lowered her head and sighed "Payment for me is knowing you are aware"

Richie watched Bailey and the woman, he sensed the need in the old woman and the reluctance in Bailey "Come on Darlin' give it a go."

Her public persona slid into place, more as a defensive measure than anything as she straightened, her eyes flickering between the woman and Richie. Everything inside of her screamed to turn and run the other way, but when his gentle brown gaze turned upon her, and those puppy dog eyes pleaded she felt her self settle. "If thats what ya want."

Normally Richie would have simply declined the woman’s invitation politely and went on his way but something in the air told him this was a pivotal moment. Everything he'd been experiencing, everything about Bailey about himself, maybe just maybe it wasn't coincidence. He was taking a leap of faith here and hoping to find some solace, not only for himself but for Bailey as well. She obviously was still having disturbing dreams, even if he wasn't. There had to be a reason.

He took her hand and followed the now silent woman into the brightly lit shop. It was not what he'd come to expect from movie portrayals of psychics. This place was not mood set to be intimidating or mysterious. It was colorful and radiated light. She opened a door leading out of what was the waiting room and stepped into a medium sized office just as brightly colored and sunny as the other room yet not so garishly so. The woman motioned to a leather sofa and then walked around to sit on a matching chair facing them. After sitting silently with closed eyes for a full minute or more she simply said "You've just recently met."

Her brow arched as the woman started to talk. It was a guess, she had a 50/50 chance at getting it right, and besides, Richie was pretty well known, and she herself was semi recognizable if you read any fashion or style magazines. She glanced at Richie the urge to pinch him rising at the stupefied look on his face. "Depends on what you mean by recently. Anyone has a chance at guessing stuff like that correctly."

The woman sighed "It's always the same, you run in the same circles yet take forever to meet. This time you're past 30, not much time, not much time."

Richie scratched his head "This time?"

She started to laugh. "We run in the same circles?" she glanced at Richie and shook her head."I don’t think we even live in the same neck of the woods, and I sure as shit ain’t no rock star."

The woman glanced between the couple sitting on the sofa. How was she to make them understand when she didn't even understand it herself. "Always, no matter when the three of you and the joker seemed to come together. This time you must fight him, her.... it" she shook her head. "You are in danger again love," she said softly to Bailey. "I know this is all hard to take in but I have to warn you, the fog, it's not fog it’s a presence, an old presence. Again and again it’s been cast to you and I don't know why. Your soul is pure so it makes no sense, as is his," she motioned to Richie. She turned her gaze back to Bailey "You've lived before and you know it don't you dear?"

Richie frowned and watched Bailey closely.

She leaned back, as far back as possible, her head shaking wildly. "That's crazy. There's no such thing! When you die you die, you don’t come back again.. that’s just... well crazy!!"