Marisa Chenery: Her Eternal Warrior

At her car, Kenna climbed in and started the engine. She yawned as she pulled out of the lot and headed in the direction of her apartment. Her bed was calling her. Once at her place, she parked in the underground parking garage before she took the elevator up to her floor.

With her purse clutched in her hand, she used her other to fish inside it for her keys. It was then she noticed the strap was broken. How had that happened? Kenna knew for a fact it had been in one piece when she’d left the hotel. She distinctly remembered putting it on over her shoulder. She really must be exhausted. First sleepwalking in the Luxor’s parking lot and now not remembering how she wrecked her purse.

Kenna opened the door, then stepped inside before she locked it behind her. She threw her purse on the coffee table, deciding she’d deal with it in the morning. Now that she was home, her tiredness seemed to weigh heavier on her.

She went through the routine of changing out of her work clothes and getting ready for bed. Kenna let out a contented sigh as she climbed under the sheets and pulled them over her. The next time her coworker asked her to trade shifts, she was going to tell him to get lost. There was a reason why she preferred days. A night person she was not.

Kenna closed her eyes. She was just on the verge of falling into a deep sleep when an image of a man with black hair appeared in her head. He bent to kiss her softly on the lips. Kenna shivered as their mouths met. She couldn’t see his face, but she felt drawn to him, wanted him to kiss her deeper, but he pulled away and disappeared. Readjusting her pillow, she hoped she’d dream of the faceless man. For some reason, she didn’t want to let go of his image.

“You look about ready to fall over.”

Kenna turned toward the counter of the reception desk and looked at her male friend, Nick, who worked as a blackjack dealer at the Luxor casino. Most people thought he was gay, since he came across as a bit on the effeminate side, but that was the furthest thing from the truth. Nick went after anything female. He loved women, and usually ended up getting laid more often than not.

“Thanks,” she said with sarcasm. “Tell me something I don’t already know.”

“Wish you hadn’t decided to trade shifts?”

“Big time. I know I didn’t get enough sleep before I had to come back in here.”

“Well, this should be a lesson learned. You want to go do something tonight?”

Kenna shook her head. “Naw. I wouldn’t want to cramp your style. Plus, I’d probably end up falling asleep on you. I think my night will be spent taking a long soak in the tub, maybe watching a movie, then early to bed.”

Nick gave her a look that said he found her plans boring. “That sounds like a perfect night. Not.”

“Maybe I’m just getting old.”

He snorted. “Yeah, right. You’re just an old granny at age twenty-six. You just need to get laid.”

Kenna laughed. “And you’re the man to do it?”

“Hell no. We’re better as friends than lovers. You know that. Besides, I’m not your type.”

“Oh, really. And what exactly is mine then?”

“Tall, dark, handsome and built like a brick shithouse. I’m none of those things.”

Nick had her pegged. She did find herself attracted to men who had all those characteristics. Like the man she’d dreamed about last night. Even though she didn’t know what he looked like, she bet he was handsome as sin. He was her dream man, after all. Her friend, on the other hand, was five-foot-eight, had a slim build and spent more time on his dark-blond hair to get it just right than she did on her own. After they’d first met, it hadn’t taken them very long to decide they’d only be friends.

“Okay,” she said. “You know what I like. And maybe it has been a while since I’ve gotten laid, but, unlike you, I don’t sleep with anything that moves.”

Nick put a hand on his chest and gasped dramatically. “Did you just refer to me as a slut?”

“Man whore, slut, all the same.”

He chuckled. “And I wouldn’t want it any other way. At least I don’t have to go home night after night to an empty bed if I don’t want to.”

“Only because you never take any of your conquests to your place. You always manage to talk them into inviting you to stay the night at theirs.”

“I prefer it that way. Then I can leave when I want. It would be much harder to convince them to leave my apartment. I wouldn’t want to be rude after they gave me a night of pleasure.”

That was Nick. He might whore around, but he respected all the women he slept with. “You’re just a nice guy.”

He smiled. “I know I am.”

“And conceited too.”

With a roll of his eyes, he asked, “Are you ready to go? I’m done with my shift and so are you.”

Kenna nodded. “Just let me grab my purse.” She reached under the counter and retrieved it before she walked out to stand next to Nick.

Her friend gave her a quizzical look. “Is that a new purse? I thought you’d just bought one the other week.”

“This is an old one. And I did. Somehow I managed to break the strap on the new purse last night after my shift.”

“You don’t remember how you did it?”

“No. I guess I was pretty tired and wasn’t paying much attention. I didn’t realize until I got home that I’d damaged it.”

“No more night shift for you,” Nick said as he shook his head and got them walking toward the hotel’s exit.

“My thoughts exactly. Do you have your car back yet?” Nick’s car was a beater, and he seemed to have it in the shop a lot for repairs.

“No. I should get it tomorrow. Do you mind giving me a ride home?”

“I can give you a lift. I was going to ask you, anyway.”

“I appreciate it. I hate having to take the bus. It takes three times longer to get anywhere.”

“You know it would probably be cheaper just to get a newer car rather than having to pay for all these repairs.”

“True, but I’d only be able to afford another beater again. I’m going to hold on to this one for a little longer.”

They reached the parking lot and Kenna slowed her steps as a feeling of anxiousness washed over her. Her heart raced as a shiver of fear ran down her spine. She had no idea what was wrong with her. She’d never had this feeling before. And she didn’t think she had it this morning when she’d arrived at the hotel. But then she’d been rushing since she’d dragged her ass getting to work.

Nick slowed and turned his head to look at her. “Kenna? Are you all right? Your face has gone white.”

She nodded before she cleared her throat. “Yeah. I sort of feel a bit…weird.”

“I hope you’re not coming down with something. Working that night shift must have really hit you hard.”

“I guess so.”

“A night in is probably the best thing for you. Especially a soak in the tub. Just make sure you have some wine or something to kill all the germs.”

Pushing back the anxiousness, Kenna laughed as she picked up her pace again. “I don’t think having something alcoholic will do much to prevent me from getting a cold.”

“Maybe not, but it’ll help you relax.”

“All right, doctor. I’ll have some wine, as you prescribed.”

“Good girl.”

After unlocking the passenger door for Nick, Kenna came around to the driver’s side. She got into the car, then started the engine. She had to resist the urge to gun it and peel out of the parking lot. Nick didn’t seem to notice her agitation, which she was sure had to show on her face. She’d suddenly broken out in a cold sweat. Her gaze shifted to the corner of the lot where she’d found herself the night before as she put the car into reverse. Kenna had to bite her bottom lip to hold back a whimper that threatened to bubble out of her. It took everything in her to pull out of the space at a proper speed, then merge into traffic. That particular spot scared her for some unknown reason.