Mark Brent #1 - Marked

Interlude 1: Erin.

Erin Sterling has had a busy day helping her friend and business partner Art prepare for Dave's surprise birthday party. Just this morning, she woke up in her bed with a thrill in her heart. She thought it was because of the party but as the day wore on, she was distracted by quick flashes of the same image that she's been having these last couple of weeks. It was the same haunting image that she had been seeing in her dreams just before she'd wake up, heart racing and breathless.

In her dreams, she would find herself standing alone on what looked like a platform set at one end of a long and wide hall. A few torches were lit creating shadows that danced on the gray stone walls and on the beautiful hardwood floor. Behind her was a plush red throne gilded in gold. Flanking the platform were two brass braziers, the flames slowly dying into embers.

The night's cold was creeping in and she would wrap her velvet cloak around her to keep her warm. It was at this moment that she would hear footsteps approaching her, the clink of armor demanding her full attention as the person approached. She had been expecting her late night guest. Her favored knight. She had been overwrought with worry when the war had crossed over to her borders. She hated wars. She had agreed to deploy three hundred of her soldiers, led by the capable hands of two seasoned knights, to help push the enemy back. This one, though... this knight who was slowly emerging from the shadows to stand before her was one she didn't want to send off for selfish reasons.

The knight would stop before the platform cradling a worn-out visored helmet in one gauntleted arm. It was always at the moment when they both gazed into each other's eyes that she would wake up. Her knight's warm brown eyes that she loved to be lost in, when they could spend the night together, looked weary.

Erin smiled with satisfaction as she reviewed the day's checklist that she had prepared in her neat handwriting. Only one thing remained in her list: check to see if all the food for the party were already done cooking. There were quite a few people who arrived early at Art's and Dave's beautiful split-level house, and she knew that more guests would be coming in soon. Well, that can wait for just a few more minutes, she thought, folding the piece of paper and tucking it in her purse. She sat up straight and closed her eyes. Slowly, she took a deep breath, held it for a few seconds, then slightly pursing her lips, just as slowly exhaled. She did it a few more times before opening her eyes.

She glanced at her reflection from the guest bedroom's dresser mirror, re-applied some lip gloss, then stood up and left the room. On her way to the kitchen, she saw the front door just as it closed. Someone probably stepped out, she thought, distracted momentarily by the tingling that she felt in her heart. She brushed it off as she entered the kitchen.