18 June 1:15 AM
Circe (Angel)
It took me a few hours to get to the address indicated by Tillman and it was the longest and the shortest drive I had ever made. I have to admit I was afraid and that made the drive short, but I was also strangely excited which made the drive long. No, excited isn't the right word. What's the word that describes how soldiers feel right before going into combat? I guess I don't know the word but it's the heightened anticipation of a personal test that might end in victory or defeat. In any case I was a mess of emotions on the inside and felt like I was racing down some train track towards a locomotive and was locked to the rails.
The house was in a very affluent neighborhood set back from the road on a large wooded lot and surrounded by a high iron fence and gate. That allayed my fears a little bit but not a whole lot. When I pulled up to the security gate it opened all on its own before I could even press the intercom button. Now I was back to fear again because it meant someone was watching me and I know that the gate was going to close behind me. The meandering driveway led me to the front of the house where I parked and walked up to the front door. There were no lights on in the house but attached to the heavy oak door was a note which read, "Follow the path around the house and go to the Carriage House in back. Enter through the main door and wait quietly."
It wasn't a long walk but it was creepy since it was dark and had lots of trees around the path. Moments later I was standing in front of the door and there was a glow of lights from some of the windows. My hand was shaking as I turned the heavy iron handle and pushed the door which opened with a heavy creak. As I closed the door behind me I took in the features of the room. For the most part it was featureless with simple plastered walls and old flag stone floors. There were a number of doors surrounding the room, all of which were closed and wax candles lit the room. Not the fancy Yankee Candle scented kind, these were the old fashioned stick candles and they stood in heavy iron holders.
"Trainee!" boomed a masculine voice off to my left. Fortunately for me I was able to hold back a scream but I think I jumped so high my head hit the ceiling. Standing there was the man I recognized as Tillman, but he sure wasn't dressed like he was the last time I saw him since he was wearing black leather from head to toe. The shirt and pants weren't what I would call tight, they were just so perfectly tailored that they laid perfectly over every curve and line of his body. Let me tell you, he was one ripped man, and it wasn't like a bodybuilder ripped, it was just a strong ripped. On his feet he wore leather dress boots and they had some sort of silver metal decoration which I couldn't make out in the dim light. On top of it all he wore a black long leather coat, I think it's called a duster, like the ones they wore in the movie, "The Matrix." He even wore black skintight leather gloves on his hands. He was gorgeous and intimidating at the same time.
"Step five paces towards me Trainee" he said in a quiet but very commanding and authoritative voice.
I moved the required distance and stopped. It put me an arm's length away from him and I caught the scent of Bulgari Man cologne, the same scent I had picked up from his first written instructions to me. He looked at me intently for what seemed an eternity. Oh God! Those steely eyes were just dissecting me piece by piece. I suppressed the urge to cover myself somehow, even though I was fully clothed except for bra and panties. I wanted to look away and break eye contact but some invisible force held my eyes locked to his. Perhaps it was just my imagination but there seemed to be a slight look of pain or sadness etched on his face.
"You have pleased me by deciding to enter into this training. But I wish to warn you again that this will be painful sometimes and that I require complete obedience to every direction and detail of the plan. Do you still agree to these conditions and those of the contract you signed? You may speak."
"Uh, well yes I do" I said quietly and with not just a little shake in my voice.
"Yes, what?!" he barked at me.
"Yes Teacher, I'm sorry." This time it came out of my mouth even quieter.
"Never apologize! I will not tolerate apologies. Do you understand Trainee?"