MY CONSTELLATION LOVER

CHAPTER 1

This book is dedicated to my beautiful and compassionate daughter, Becky, who encouraged me to keep writing.  There are so many supportive  friends that I have been blessed to take with me on this journey:  Sandra M., for our nightly messages  giving me strength and kind words; Tami L., for adding my book to your reading list and your kind support, I am honored; Renee L., one of my soul sisters I was blessed to have met; Natalie B. for your encouragement; Ashley C., so lucky to have met a fellow author; and to my other soul sisters:  Gia, your beauty was in my book; Nicole, your huge heart and support shines; Jeannie P., my baby soul sister; Dawn D., your words telling me to Keep Writing, I carry in my heart; Susan C. "Moose" my sister from across the pond; and Melissa M., artist friend, how gifted you are; Theresa P.; and Craig J. - our talks about stars, planets, and space - you should be a scientist!  There are several others whose personalities just shine, and you also are in the pages, if you look closely.  My imagination comes from pure Divine Intervention, and I thank my patron saint, St. Jude.

CHAPTER 1

Kaleus looked down from the night sky and watched the human female drag the metal instrument on the dark grassy hill, turning it back and forth, to ensure that it was adjusted. It was the moment he had been waiting for all month, and he concentrated all his fire power to make sure he would shine hot and bright for her. "Showing off again," his brother Damaskus said, a few feet away. Damaskus was always making comments, and actually laughed when Kaleus turned his middle star off, the Constellation version of flipping him the bird. "Stop bothering me and go see what the twins are up to," Kaleus answered, turning his star back on so that she would see him.

Once a month, on a Thursday evening, Annaliese Collins would drag her telescope she bought in a second-hand thrift store and would peer up at the night sky, and wonder. There was one Constellation that always held her attention, and there he was, shining as brightly as the sun, against the dark blue night sky. She had to adjust the lenses just so, and finally took him in. She just felt that the Constellation was a man, and in her dreams, a very hot one. "So how are you tonight?" she asked him. "I know you can't hear a word I say, but I have to confess, I look forward to meeting you each month." She even smiled then, her dark, warm, large brown eyes taking him in. "I need to find out what your name is," she said out loud to no one. She would climb this hill like clockwork, each month, and just stare up at her Constellation. "I bet it's something strong and sexy like Connall or Titus," she sighed, her pink lips pressing together. A few seconds later, he went completely dark and oddly enough, the Constellation that was just a few feet north of him did. "Well, that's weird. I wonder what happened?" She waited a few more minutes, and when he didn't appear, she picked up her telescope and headed back down the hill.

Damaskus bellowed so loudly that the sleeping triplets woke up and gave him filthy looks. "Titus??? Connall??" Damaskus grabbed his stomach and laughed hard. "What kind of stupid, weak names are that?" Kaleus shut his stars out and in seconds the fight began, with Damaskus going dark, once Kaleus punched him right in his face. When Constellations threw fist fights, they were epic. Both Kaleus and Damaskus were nearly matched in strength, being born from the same father, but Kaleus was quicker, and soon both Constellations were tumbling through the night sky and landed on the head of the crankiest Constellation, Henrique, who was the oldest and liked to take several naps before maybe burning one or two of his own stars, only to close his eyes and go back to sleep. "BEGONE!" he bellowed and blew a large gust of night air at the wrestling and fighting brothers. They wound up tumbling far off course, and when Kaleus pinned Damaskus, he gave up.

Kaleus dropped his brother and went back to this position in the night sky and lit up, hoping she was still there. He was a mess, right now. His stars didn't burn as brightly as they usually did, losing fire power from the fight, but he fixed himself up as best he could, and when he was at full power, he looked down, but to an empty field. If he had a human heart, it would have sunk right then and there. He understood human anatomy, having been around for centuries, watching humankind going through century after century. With each passing decade, he would wind up in the area he was placed in now, chosen for him since he had some seniority. Father was strict about following rules, but every now and then the triplets would sneak down to earth and party it up with unsuspecting men for sex. The triplets would leave the men very satisfied, at least, that was what the local gossip told him.

Damaskus lit up, only half of his stars showing, still out of breath, but smiling. "Good fight," brother he said to him, looking down at the empty field. "Oh, the woman is gone." That statement hung in the air for a while, and Kaleus wished he had more time with her, just to see her, but in person. He was getting tired of watching her from so far away, and wanted to see what she smelled like, tasted like, and everything else about her. He was fascinated with the woman with the long, dark brown curly hair, and just had to meet her in person, but it was forbidden.

Soon the sun was creeping high up in the sky, and it was time for the stars to sleep. He hated having to do this routine; he had done it for what seemed like a million years. Something had to change, and he had to make that change. And when the dawn began to creep in, his final star went out, and he closed his eyes, thinking of her.