Part Two

Barbara wasn't sure how long she had cried on the floor. She got up slowly. Her body felt sore. The weight of the world seemed to be on top of her. Gradually she walked up the staircase. For some reason, the world as she knew it had changed colors and nothing would ever be the same again.

She walked into her bedroom, looked around, and took in all the details. Everything matched, and that struck her for some reason. Her life was full of things that matched. All with so called good taste, artfully chosen to impress…impress who? And yet if she were honest with herself it had never looked emptier. At least Taya was honest. Taya… Even thinking of her name made her hurt.

She took off her clothes and just let them drop to the floor as she walked. She wanted a shower; she felt unclean somehow. In the view of day Taya had made it all very clear, and it all made her feel dirty somehow. She had just been someone to fuck. Taya's own words.

Barbara turned on the water and stepped into the shower. She let the water just wash over her body and as it did she began to cry all over again.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was 8pm when Taya once again entered the warehouse. Stanley looked up in surprise and proceeded to walk toward her.

"The shipment is almost ready for distribution." He assured her immediately. Now as head of the south pens he was in charge of distribution of Coke. Not only had his rank more than tripled, but within 24 hours his power had grown as well. He knew he had to prove himself to Black Angel. She had raised him from the gutter to the top. He was not about to fail.

"Good, I want it on the street by tonight." She looked at him waiting for him to challenge her.

He knew immediately it was a test and failure was not an option. "We should be out of here by ten, then the cleaners can come in. I'll see to it Taya."

Taya looked at him in deep speculation. Perhaps Stanley had been the one she had been looking for. Only time would tell.

"Keep it smooth Stanley. Make sure you pick up cash or don't deliver."

He nodded.

"All else taken care of?"

"Dust to dust" was all he said.

"Good. Later." She walked out leaving him standing there.

When he saw her leave the building Stanley finally took a deep breath as his body began to relax again.

Taya walked out and got on her bike. She began to nightly ride around her jungle. This was her world and the pens were hers. Her mouth turned up on its sides. Dust to dust. She laughed lightly, remembering what Stanley had said. Nice line, I'll have to remember it, she thought. In other words, Jake's body had been cremated. Nothing was left to tie her or implicate her to him. It was one of the rules of her world, of the pens. They all lived and survived by certain laws. And the law had been enforced.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Barbara sat on the couch staring straight ahead of her into nothing. Her legs were tucked under her. She never noticed as the light of the day gradually disappeared and the shadows the night had quietly arrived.

"Barbara? Barbara?" She seemed to hear from a distance.

She turned slowly and shook her head as she stared at her sister, Dale, who was standing in front of her.

"Barbara," Dale said softly as she knelt down to look into Barbara's face. "You okay sweetheart?"

Barbara stared at her sister and suddenly all the turmoil inside her came forth. She threw herself into her sister's arms.

Both women sat on the floor. Dale wasn't sure what had happened but it had to be more than she had counted on. She held Barbara tightly to her trying to console her.

"It's okay Barb. It's going to be okay. I've been calling you since last night. Mom is worried sick, what happened sweetie? Where have you been?" Dale asked gently.

Barbara pulled away from her sister's protective embrace. She sat, mirroring her sister, with her back against the sofa and wiped her face.

"Barbara, where have you been?" Dale asked again.

"I…" her hand went up to her neck shakily.

Dale noticed and now looked at her sister even more worried than before.

"What did he do Barb? So help me I'm going to kill that son of a bitch!"

Barbara looked at her sister. "No…I mean…" How could she tell Dale anything when she wasn't sure of anything herself.

"Sorry" Dale said softly. "Slowly…take your time," she added as she waited patiently for her sister to speak.

"I went to the lawyer's yesterday…God, yesterday seems so far away," Barbara said as she stared in front of her again. She shook her head and began to speak again. "Jeff finally agreed that I would get custody of the boys. He is giving them a hard time on financial disclosures, but they expected that."

"Sounds like all is progressing well then. You have the boys." Dale said happily. "I know how much that worried you."

Barbara then turned towards her sister and smiled. "Yes."

"What is he not disclosing?"

"Oh…some accounts that came up. They have to do with investments. That sort of thing. Apparently he has been investing for sometime now. He has bought real estate amongst other things without my knowledge to the point of six million dollars."

"Hmmmm…"

"I got out of the lawyer's office with the realization that I had been living with a stranger." Barbara looked at Dale with pained eyes. "Years…years before I ever realized that we had problems he was doing all this. I was living, sleeping, and making love to a stranger Dale. I didn't know him at all! That really scared me." She finished saying as tears began to roll down her face again.

"It kind of opened up the wounds all over again, huh?"

"In a way…yes. How could I have been so blind to it all?" Barbara wiped the tears away. "It's like…I had been walking, talking and living in a dream for years and none of it was real. My whole marriage was a lie. He wants to settle as soon as possible. Apparently Joanna is pregnant."

"I'm sorry Barbara." Dale said sadly.

Joanna, they had found out a mere six months ago, was Jeff's mistress of three years. Barbara had gone to meet some friends for lunch when quite suddenly Joanna and Jeff had been seen by them coming out of a hotel, kissing passionately goodbye in plain daylight.

Barbara had been devastated. But no longer blinded by trust she began to ask questions and what followed was a nightmare that became quickly too real. Dale had received her sister's anguished call when it all happened. She knew that Barbara was strong but the affect of so much betrayal had shaken her to the core. And the boys had gone from acting out to sullen quietness. At least Jeff had agreed to custody. That at least her sister would not have to worry about.

"Then…" Barbara looked away from her sister. "Then...something happened."

"What?" Dale asked softly. Dear God, what more else will she have to deal with? Dale thought to her self as she held her sister's hand tightly in support..

"I…" Barbara looked at Dale then down at their hands clasped together. "I was attacked…two men tried to…"

"Oh my god Barbara." Dale feared the worst.

Barbara looked up quickly. "No, I'm okay."

"How? Where?"

"I wasn't paying attention where I was going. My mind was so confused and I walked into a place I should never have been in." Barbara tried to explain quickly so as to not worry Dale more than she was already.

Dale had always been there. She was the older sister and as such Barbara had always confided and counted on her. But this? How could she talk to Dale about this?

"Are you sure you're okay?" Dale asked still very concerned.

"Yes…no, I was so scared Dale." Barbara looked at her sister. "I thought they were going to…if..." Barbara trailed off. Her hand came up shakily and she ran her fingers through her hair. "I was saved by a dark stranger…who in turn showed me yet again what an easy mark I must be." She laughed with a nervous giggle.

"Barbara…I don't understand."

"I don't understand myself." Barbara said barely above a whisper.

"Barb? Were you raped last night?" Dale asked gently as she placed her hand on top of her sister's shaking one.

Barbara looked up and met her sister's gaze and as she did her eyes filled with tears.

"Raped? No…" Barbara said softly and looked away. "I wasn't raped."

Dale was confused and yet she sensed that something was still not right somehow.

"Dale...I" Barbara said as she looked at her sister again as she began to cry.

"Why didn't you come home last night?" Dale asked gently as she held onto her sister's hands.

"I couldn't…at first I couldn't leave and then I didn't want to. We made love all night long Dale." Barbara finally blurted out.

Dale's eyes got bigger and bigger.

"I was terrified, excited and never more satisfied. I'm so scared Dale. I'm so scared." Barbara went into her sister's arms again. "I feel like my whole life is spinning out of my control and I can't stop it."

Dale hung on to her and held back the questions that she knew Barbara could not answer right now.

"I'm so scared Dale. I'm so scared."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taya walked into her apartment and locked the door behind her. She suddenly looked around and felt the emptiness and the lack of things, which usually gave her such satisfaction, close in around her. She went towards her bedroom and once in it she began taking her clothes off. She still felt Barbara on her skin. That must be remedied. She would just wash her off.

She went into the bathroom to take a shower but first turned towards the medicine cabinet over by the sink, she had a horrible headache. That's when she noticed the earrings on the sink. Taya picked them up slowly and held them in her palm. Barbara, she thought to herself; as the mere thought of the woman's name seemed to take a firm hold on some part of her. Taya's eyes closed as she remembered their owner.

Taya could feel Barbara's hands on her body even now. The feel of Barbara's mouth was still fresh on her body and the taste of her was still in Taya's mouth. She opened her eyes slowly and saw her reflection in the mirror and stared at it. Why did I let her touch me? She thought. My mother would say it's Santeria. Taya pushed all thoughts such as that one immediately out of her mind. How had that happened?

"What do I do now?" she asked the reflection staring back at her.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dale and Barbara never did discuss what had happened to Barbara that night. Barbara just closed up. Dale had tried to bring it up several times until Barbara just told her it had been something that happened and that she wanted to just forget about. She thought, in view of the circumstances, it was probably best left that way. Barbara would talk to her when she was ready.

Within two weeks Barbara began to feel comfortable about her daily routine again. It suddenly occurred to her, as she had been dropping off her boys for soccer practice, that she liked the reliability of just doing...and as she began to analyze that, something more frightening began to occur to her. If you just went through the motions you just did but you didn't necessarily feel. Had she been just going through the motions? Not looking, not seeing, not feeling with Jeff? Was that what had hit her so hard? Had she just not wanted to question?

Barbara shook her head "Enough" she turned her car and pulled out of the school parking lot. No matter how many times she went through it all in her head nothing made any sense. Sometimes, that was the way it was and it was best just to keep going.

She had dropped off her two boys, Sean and Eric, and her nephew, Brian, to soccer practice. Dale would be picking them up later and dropping her sons home.

Barbara was back to the routine she had been comfortable with she kept telling herself the day before also when the sounds of a motorcycle had shaken her controlled resolve to its core.

"Will you guys keep it down back there" Dale said to the boys in the back seat as she was trying to speak to Barbara who sat beside her in the front seat of her explorer. "A friend in the office told me about this place." She was saying to Barbara.

"We better get there soon. I think the natives are restless," Barbara said as she looked at her two sons and nephew sitting in the back.

"Mom, I'm starving. When are we gonna get there?" Brian, Dale's 9 year old son wined.

"Soon."

Suddenly, out of nowhere a black motorcycle pulled up next to them. Barbara felt her body react as the sounds seemed to fill her body. She began to shake and to breathe irregularly. Her head turned towards the window and began to feel her world spin as she stared at the black clad rider with a black helmet on. Her shaky hand came up to her face as she got pale.

"Barbara? Barbara? Are you all right?" Dale asked with concern obvious in her voice. "Barbara?"

Barbara seemed to feel herself floating in limbo and totally oblivious to the concern she was causing.

Dale pulled out of traffic and into the shoulder. She turned to face her sister. The boys in the back became very quite.

"Barbara? Sweetheart, are you okay?"

"Mom?"

"It's okay guys. Mom is just tired let's just give her a minute," Dale tried to reassure the boys in the back seat.

Barbara stared at her sister and her shaking began to subside as her eyes began to focus. She nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry. I just got a little dizzy."

When the sound of the motorcycle was heard in the distance again Barbara flinched.

Dale was beginning to get really worried. Barbara could tell. But she needed to think this though on her own before she could discuss what had happened between her and Taya with anyone.

It had been a week since that incident and Barbara had convinced herself that she was in control of her life again. It had all been just an aberration. It had been the stress she was under. It had been…whatever it had been it was over.

Barbara got home and went straight for the kitchen. Today was soccer night so dinner was always a light fair. Dale and she would alternate dropping and picking up the boys every practice and game. Whoever dropped off served dinner.

The phone rang and Barbara grabbed the hot dog buns out of the breadbox as she answered.

"Hello…. Hi Jean…sure…come on over. I'm in the kitchen so just come on in the door will be open" Barbara hung up the phone and walked over to the front door and unlocked it for when her friend two houses down came over for the 6eggs she needed.

Barbara went back to the kitchen and turned on the radio. An old favorite came on and she started singing along as she pulled the hot dogs out of the refrigerator and the potato and macaroni salad she had bought earlier. Barbara began to sing the song currently playing…. by Tony Orlando and Dawn.

La..la…la la la…

Hey there girl what are you doing tonight..

She was surprised to hear the doorbell. "Come on in. It's open," she yelled and went to pulled out a bowl of layered Jell-O to surprise the boys. She began to sing again.

You don't even know me I love you…

Oh my darling, Knock tree times on the ceiling if you want me…

Twice on the pipe means you ain't gonna show…

She was still singing when she turned around with a friendly smile for her friend Jean when she suddenly she felt like someone had pulled out the floor from under her.

In front of her stood Taya in all her fine black garb, including sunglasses smiling. The bowl that Barbara was holding slipped out of her hands and crashed loudly on the floor. Barbara however, did not move a muscle.

"You sing nice." Taya's velvety voice reached out to her.

Taya then walked up to her and knelt down at the same time that Barbara did to pick up the broken pieces of glass from now shattered bowl.

"Let me help you" Taya said softly.

Barbara had still not been able to utter a sound.

All the broken glass pieces were picked up in silence and Barbara pulled out some kitchen towels to pick up the Jell-O.

Neither had uttered another word. Clean up completed both women once again stood in front of one another. Barbara took a few steps back as the love song continued.

Taya smiled seductively. Barbara turned off the radio.

"I'm sorry I frightened you. I rang and you yelled to come in," Taya then said gently.

"I'm expecting a friend."

"I see. I always did have bad timing," Taya said and tried smiling. She was sorry to see that Barbara was obviously not happy that she was there.

Both stood again waiting for the other to speak.

"I came…" Taya began to say when someone came in from behind her.

"Hi Barbara."

"Hello Jean."

Jean looked from Barbara to Taya.

"Jean, this is…"

"Taya, nice to meet you." Taya smiled and held her hand out to Jean who took it with a smile of her own.

"Is that your bike outside?" Jean asked enthusiastically.

"Yes."

"Its really beautiful. My husband and I are always reminiscing about how romantic it is to ride into the sunset on a bike like that. You know…..rebel without a cause and all that." Jean added as she swooned.

Taya smiled politely.

"Hey Barb? Earth to Barbara…. You there?" Jean said to her friend who seemed to be in some type of trance.

"I'm sorry Jean. It's been a long day. Eggs right?" Barbara turned towards the refrigerator once more and pulled out a carton of eggs and handed them over to her friend.

"Thanks, I only need six."

"That's okay. Take them, I've got another carton."

"Okay, thanks Barb. I gotta run." Jean then turned to Taya. "It was nice meeting you Taya."

"Likewise."

When they both heard the front door close Barbara immediately went on the defensive. "What are you doing here?"

Taya raised an eyebrow. No one spoke to her like that! "I told you I would come back."

"No!" Barbara went behind the island in her kitchen.

"You haven't forgotten me already have you querida?" Taya said coyly as she began to walk closer to the island. "And here I was thinking that you would be welcoming me back nice and proper like."

"Taya, please go. I want you to go." Barbara said with a plea.

Taya suddenly stopped and stared at Barbara for a moment. "Do you?" Taya asked softly. "Do you want me to go querida mia?" For a moment Barbara thought that she had heard sadness in the woman's voice and seen it reflect in those dark eyes.

Barbara hesitated and that was all the encouragement that Taya needed. She quickly went around the island and caught Barbara as she tried to escape between the sink and herself.

Both women heard as the other's breath began to grow heavy as physical contact was made. Both sets of eyes focused on the others mouth.

"Did you miss me querida?" Taya asked huskily still only looking at Barbara's lips. Taya leaned into Barbara's body.

Barbara was about to speak when Taya closed the distance between them. When Taya's mouth connected with Barbara's she thought that she finally understood the meaning of bliss. Her mouth begged and pleaded. Not until that moment of union did Taya truly understand how much she had needed to taste those lips again.

Again the passion that seemed to consume them once before began to intoxicate them once more. Taya wasn't sure if the moans of pleasure were coming out of her mouth or Barbara's. All she knew was that Barbara was kissing her back. Barbara's hands were touching her, pulling at her clothes, exciting her breasts and at that moment all reason was lost. And all that both women understood and craved was for the hunger they felt to touch, taste and connect once more be fed.

Somehow they made it up to the bedroom. And again, after the urgency passed and the need was filled they only had each other and the reality of a now. Barbara sat up waiting for Taya to say something and Taya prayed for the right words to come.

"We better get up. My sister will be here soon with her son and mine."

Taya suddenly stopped breathing. "You have a son?"

"I have two." Barbara still had her back to her.

"I didn't plan this Barbara. I didn't come back to haunt you or anything." Taya suddenly wanted to reassure her.

"Then if not for this why did you come back?" Barbara turned towards her now challenging what she had just heard.

"You left your earrings behind querida" Taya said softly. "I wanted to return them," she said simply.

Barbara stared at her not knowing whether she liked the reason or not.

"I can't say I'm sorry I came. As a matter of fact…I came many times querida," she said without any shame. Taya was uncomfortable with the seriousness of the conversation to she opted for sarcasm.

Barbara flinched at the comment and Taya immediately regretted making it.

"I didn't mean it like that" Taya said softly looking at Barbara seriously now.

"What did you mean then?" Barbara asked not quite sure why. The answer had become very important all of a sudden. Then the real question she wanted to ask came forth softly. "Why did you really come?"

"I…I wanted…I needed to see you" Taya said and stared at Barbara. Her hand went out to the woman in front of her and caressed the face that had been haunting her both day and night. "Are you sorry I came?" Taya's eyes seemed fathomless.

Then Barbara saw something in those eyes that she perhaps did not want to see. She knew that Taya had told her the truth. She also knew that this could not possibly go anywhere. Barbara shook her head and began getting up. And as she did she found her hand in an iron grip.

"You liked it and you know it!" Taya's eyes were cold as steel now.

"Let go of me!"

"Come back here. Your memory needs reminding" Taya then pulled her hard and Barbara fell onto the bed again. Taya was on top of her before Barbara realized what was happening.

"Taya, my boys will be home soon. Please let me go." Barbara said nervously.

"Tell me querida, did you miss me?" Taya taunted her.

"Let me up!"

"Shall I show you another spot or two that can give you pleasure?"

"Taya please" Barbara gasped for breath. "Please…"

Taya then pulled up her arms over her head and held them there with one of her hands. The other was going down between Barbara's legs.

"Oh….querida. You are already wet for me," Taya said as she started rubbing the spot she knew drove Barbara crazy.

"Taya…I didn't want to miss you but I did," Barbara said between ecstasy and tears. "Please, oh god Taya please."

After she had made Barbara cry out with pleasure Taya wasn't sure if she had wanted her question answered after all.

She was filled with a desire to hold onto and caress the body of her lover; something that up to that point in her life she had never desired before. Barbara then looked up into The darkness of Taya's eyes and in that moment took Taya's breath away. Taya was about to say something when the phone on the nightstand began to ring and Barbara turned away to pick it up.

"Hello…Dale yes, pick it up…how long will it take you to get here?… Okay, bye" Barbara hung up the phone and turned towards Taya.

"Dale? Is that him?" Taya asked as she suddenly sat on the bed with her back to Barbara.

"Dale is my sister."

"Is there a him?" Taya asked and Barbara could see her back muscles tense.

"There was."

"An now?"

"Now? I am going through a divorce," Barbara said wearily.

Taya turned towards Barbara searching her face. "Did you love him?"

Barbara looked away for a moment then back at her again. "Once, I thought I did."

"Have there been others?" Taya asked finally the question that really interested her.

"Others?" Barbara wasn't sure what she was asking. "A little late to be concerned about safe sex now wouldn't you say?" She got angry all of a sudden.

"I practice safe sex," Taya said defensively and realized this was not what she had intended to talk about originally.

Barbara turned towards her challenging that statement.

"With you, I...I didn't think" Taya said and began to seem nervous and uncomfortable.

Barbara saw the apparently secure woman falter and smiled. "I don't sleep around. You don't have to worry."

"I wasn't worried...I" Taya again seemed uncomfortable.

"I married Jeff when I turned twenty. He was the first. I haven't been with anyone else" Barbara said and Taya looked at her speculatively. "I was tested a few months ago when we split up. After all, he, I found out, had slept with everyone and their mother too" Barbara could not control the anger of that last statement. "So, you don't need to worry. I on the other hand..."

Taya walked over to her. "I practice safe sex Barbara. I do the fucking okay! No one enters me and I don't suck anyone. It's all quite safe I assure you."

"And me?" Barbara said challenging her now.

"Yes, I fucked you and I sucked you and I also let you suck me. But you were the exception" Taya said daring her to address it.

"Is that suppose to make me feel better?" Barbara said flippantly as she started dressing. She didn't want to know all this. She didn't want to know what Taya did to other women. "I don't want to talk about this okay."

"I will get tested if it will make you feel better," Taya said, as she stood in the same place still completely naked.

"Oh dear god" Barbara said suddenly as the enormity of what she had done suddenly hit her.

"Barbara, I don't think that I'm...."

"You don't think! No, you don't think!" Barbara through back at her.

"Fuck you!" Taya walked away and started putting her clothes on as well.

Barbara heard a car pulling up in her driveway. She walked over to the window and ran her fingers through her hair. What now? Oh my god, what now?

Barbara looked towards Taya who had her back to her as she dressed. "I'm going down, they're here."

"Fine."

Barbara was opening the bedroom door when Taya suddenly held her from behind and pulled her against her. "I will go and get tested tomorrow" she said softly into Barbara's hair. "You don't need to worry," Thea whispered into her ear and kissed it.

Barbara pulled away and went down the staircase without uttering a word.

Taya stood as if she was made of stone. She felt as if Barbara had slapped her.

Fuck this! She then grabbed her sunglasses from the nightstand and headed down stairs after looking into the mirror on the vanity and running her fingers through her hair to fix it up a bit.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Barbara had just stepped into the kitchen when Dale and the boys ran in.

"Hi" Barbara said as they all scurried around. "Guys, go wash your hands okay. Food will be ready in a few."

"Here is the ice cream cake. They begged me. I was weak." Dale said with a smile on her face. "You look refreshed"

"What?" Barbara asked nervously as she ran her fingers through her hair. She took the ice cream cake and placed it inside the refrigerator avoiding looking into Dale's eyes.

"I just said you looked refreshed." Dale seemed confused at how her sister was acting. Something was going on with Barbara. And her patience about not asking her was running to an end Dale thought to herself.

Barbara turned around and started filling a pot with water to cook the hot-dogs. "I took a nap when I got home" Barbara said with her back to Dale.

"Well, you look good. Looks like you needed it"

The pot that she had filled with water slipped out of her hands and splashed in the sink. Barbara could see her hands begin to shake.

Fortunately she can't see me, she told herself. Oh dear god, just help me get through this.

"Whose bike outside?"

"Oh…a friend's" Barbara mumbled. "She just dropped by."

Dale was about to ask her more questions when a noise caught her attention and she turned in time to see Taya coming down the staircase. The woman she saw was dressed all in black holding with her finger a black leather coat over her shoulder. Her dark hair seemed windblown. Dale had to admit the woman was beautiful and walked with a sureness that expelled wildness just barely visible under her skin.

The only jewelry she wore were silver earrings that hung from her earlobes and shined in the contrast of the all black attire she wore; with her dark glasses on, Dale had to admit she looked very attractive in a dangerous kind of way. Dale looked from Taya to Barbara who had turned as well and was now also looking at Taya's descent down the staircase.

A friend, Barbara said. Some how that didn't seem to fit, Dale thought to herself.

Barbara was mesmerized as she stared at the woman that only moments ago had given her body so much pleasure.

God, she is so beautiful, was all that Barbara said to herself.

Dale noticed the exchange of something, not quite sure what, between the two women and her curiosity knew no bounds. She got up and as the chair slid on the floor it made a noise, Barbara was shaken back to reality.

"Dale, this is the owner of the Harley out front."

"Hi" Dale said as she looked from Taya to Barbara.

"Hello, I'm Taya" Taya said as she walked over slowly to Dale and reached out to shake her hand.

Dale looked towards Barbara who suddenly looked nervous again and turned towards the sink once more. "Taya was passing by," Barbara said with her back to them both.

Dale and Taya shook hands and Taya looked from Dale to where Barbara and smiled. She was enjoying seeing the blonde squirm.

"Yes," Taya said as she stood next to Dale and removed her sunglasses. She smiled seductively then added. "I was just passing by."

"That is some bike" Dale said to change the subject that for some reason was making her uncomfortable.

"Thank you."

"Dinner will be ready in a few minutes," Barbara said as she put the hot dogs on the stove.

"Sounds good" Dale said. "Where did you two meet?" Finally curiosity won out.

Barbara turned to face them both.

"We met..." Barbara and Taya said at the same time. Thea smiled and continued while Barbara froze on the spot. "We met by mutual need."

Barbara thought she was going to faint. Dale looked from her sister to Taya.

"I don't understand" Dale was beginning to get nervous.

"Counseling" Barbara blurted out. "We both attend a women's counseling group"

Taya smiled and said nothing as she looked down at her boots then back up at Barbara.

"I didn't know you were going to counseling" Dale commented surprised..

"I ...yes, I thought it might help" Barbara said looking towards Taya. She sent a silent plea of help, which to her surprise was answered.

"Sometimes, it helps to share with others. It makes you feel like you are not alone." Taya added with a sincere ring to her voice.

"Yes, I can understand that. Are you going through a divorce too?" Dale asked Taya sympathetically.

"No, not exactly. It's complicated" Taya added and Dale nodded in understanding.

Barbara realized that Taya had played along. Taya then turned to her and pulled out something from her pocket.

Barbara looked down questioning.

"Your earrings,

querida," Taya said softly.

Barbara seemed to pale a bit as she took them. "Thank you" Barbara looked into Taya's eyes and her gratitude of more than for the earrings was being expressed to her.

"You're welcome," Taya said softly. Taya was about to say something else when all three boys ran into the kitchen.

"Mom, Mom! Whose bike is on the driveway?" Eric her nine-year-old asked excitedly.

"Mine," Taya said and suddenly she had the boy's full attention.

"Can I have a ride?" Eric asked excitedly as his brother and cousin stood behind him.

"Sure."

"No!" Barbara said and all eyes turned towards her. Barbara stared at Taya who raised an eyebrow hiding a mischievous dare.

"Mom, please." Eric objected.

"Mom, come on." Sean pleaded as well.

Barbara looked back at Taya with murder in her eyes.

"How tall are you?" Taya intervened and drew the attention away from Barbara. "A bike is like a weapon. Not only can it hurt you but if you aren't big enough and you can't control it it can kill or hurt someone else"

"I'm big," Eric said immediately.

"Hmmm…." Taya stood straight to her full height and stepped in front of him. Eric took a step back as his neck went all the way back to look at her..

"Have you ever hurt anybody with the bike?" Brian asked this time.

Taya looked up at Barbara questioning. Barbara nodded.

"Yes, I don't ever want that to happen again. What I can do is show you the bike and explain to you how it works. If your mothers think its okay I can even let you ride behind me in the driveway." Taya looked at Barbara whose eyes looked like they would bulge out of their sockets.

Uh…oh…bad idea too, Taya told herself after seeing Barbara's reaction again.

"I don't know…." Dale said looking from Taya to Barbara.

"Dale why don't you ride with me first" Taya suggested with a smile.

"Come on Mom, please" Brian begged his mother.

"Oh, no" Dale said shaking her head. Barbara knew as soon as she did that that it was a done deal.

"What do you say Barbara?" Taya asked her point blank.

"Please Mom. Please" Eric and Sean said at the same time.

Barbara was silent then Taya turned towards Dale. "Come on, you'll love it" Taya grabbed Dale by the arm and the kids followed her outside.

Barbara could not believe it as she followed them too.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The boys took to Taya right away. She seemed so out of her element to Barbara and yet the boys had not even thought twice about her at all. Barbara looked on from a safe distance as each of them one by one rode behind Taya on the Iron Monster as Barbara called it. Taya was like a wild animal in captivity. Somehow Barbara knew that her control was only skin deep. And yet, with the boys she was gentle and patiently explained and answered every question they asked. Barbara smiled at that until she remembered were and how she had met Taya. And as she remembered she suddenly realized that there was no safe ground between two worlds as different as theirs.

"Come guys, dinner. You have school tomorrow too." Barbara called out.

"Oh mom" Eric and Sean wined.

"Come on. Let's go." Barbara insisted.

Dale walked up to Taya. "Thanks, it was fun"

"You're welcome. Anytime" Taya said as she helped Eric get off from behind her. She got off and helped him taking off his helmet.

The boy looked into her eyes for a moment. Taya was taken aback by the clearness of those innocent eyes.

"When I am big I'm going to ride a bike like this one" Eric said proudly.

Taya stood up suddenly and looked down at the boy very seriously. "You will go to school and have another type of life"

Barbara and Dale had heard her and became silent.

"But Taya, I can do that too" Eric insisted.

Taya tousled his golden hair and smiled sadly. "No, you can't. Go to your mother."

"But you ride a bike, Taya," Sean said as he stood in front of her now too.

"Yes, but you are lucky."

"I don't understand." Eric as usual always needed answers.

"What would happen to your mother if you were hurt?" Taya asked the boy seriously.

Eric and Sean looked towards their mother then back at Taya.

"She would cry and be sad." Eric said.

"Do you want that?"

"No" Eric said as she put his head down.

"How about you?" Sean asked her.

"I don't have anyone," Taya said flatly. Eric looked up at her for awhile.

Dale looked down and said nothing. Barbara looked away. She didn't want to cultivate feelings for someone that she could never understand and whom she was partly terrified of.

"Go now" Taya said to the boys as she turned around and started getting back on her bike.

What the hell am I doing here anyway?

Taya kicked the bike back into life and rode away with out even looking back. She wanted to put as much distance away from her and Barbara as she could.

"Strange, isn't she?" Dale said to Barbara as she saw Taya riding away.

Eric stood in the same place and watched as she disappeared down the street while Sean and Brian started up towards the house.

"Come on Eric" Barbara called out to her son.

Eric looked towards his mother than back and saw as Taya turned down the street.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Bed time you guys, brush your teeth, ten minutes okay?"

"Okay mom" both Eric and Sean said at the same time.

After getting ready for bed both boys went into their own rooms waiting for their mother to come and tuck them in.

Barbara checked all the windows and doors downstairs and turned the security system on. She then went up the staircase and into Sean's room first.

"Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yes mom."

Barbara kissed him on the forehead and tucked him snugly tight. "Good night sweetheart."

"Night Mama" Sean said as he yawned.

Barbara turned on the night light and semi-closed his bedroom door then she proceeded to Eric's room.

"Hey my little man. Did you brush your teeth?"

"Yeap"

Barbara sat down on Eric's bed as she had done with Sean.

"You okay? You seemed really quite at dinner," Barbara asked as she brushed his hair back away from his face with her fingers lovingly.

"Yeah…"

"What are you thinking about? Hum?"

"About Taya"

Barbara was surprised. "What about her honey?"

"If she dies no one will be sad," Eric said pensively.

Barbara froze and looked away from her son for a moment. "I'm sure she must have someone Eric" Barbara said looking towards her son again trying to reassure him.

Eric thought too much. Barbara had been worried for him for a long time now. She had ended her marriage with Jeff sooner rather than later because of the way Eric reacted whenever they had fought. Eric had always seen things too clearly. When she called him her little man she really did see him that way. And somehow thinking that hurt. Barbara wanted more than anything for her son to have a childhood. Something that was constantly being challenged so, she would try to soothe his concerns and try and make him see other things that would not haunt him so.

"No Mama, I don't think she does" Eric said as he looked deeply into his mother's eyes. Barbara caressed his angelic face.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because she rides her motorcycle."

"But, Eric…"

"She's your friend now right?"

"Well…"

"She kept looking at you when you weren't looking."

"She did?"

"Yeah."

"Its late Eric, and you have school tomorrow." Barbara said as she tucked him. "Good night honey."

"Maybe you should tell her not to ride the bike anymore Mama."

"Good night Eric" Barbara said as she turned off the light and semi closed his door.

"Night Mom. I love you."

Barbara smiled from out in the hallway and answered. "I love you too sweetheart."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Barbara went downstairs to make herself a cup of tea. She wore a silk peach two piece pajama with a robe on top. As usual she walked without her shoes on which had been an issue with Jeff. But now she did as she pleased. This was her house and she would walk around it barefoot if she wanted and she did.

She took her tea and went to sit in the spacious family room. This was Barbara's favorite room in the house. She had decorated it in colors of peach and cream. Jeff had hated it. The house was to impress he told her but she had stuck to having this room that way she liked. This was supposed to be a home after all. And the family room was were her family would spend most of their time. In the end Jeff had relented. They would entertain in the more formal part of the house and she would be allowed to have her family room her way. Everything with Jeff had been a negotiation Barbara realized. She sat down on an overstuffed couch and for the first time that day allowed herself to try and make some sense out of what had been happening in her life lately.

Barbara looked around the room she was in and saw the details that had made this a home for her and her sons. There were photos and little things that they had made for her on the shelves. There were photos of the boys from last Christmas and when they were babies. Books on a variety of subjects that she had been interested in and books that she read to her sons. And as she looked around the overstuffed pillows and the throw cover blankets she remembered the contrast from this to where Taya lived. Taya lived with a need for nothing. That was the best way to describe it. There was barrenness in her life that was mirrored in how she lived. And suddenly it struck her that the sparseness of Taya's surroundings was self-imposed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Iron Monster rode through the streets of the pens searching. The air was thick and the streets were fizzling with heat of half covered women offering their wares for the right price. Heads turned as they saw the Black Angel ride by. Taya was looking for something and the raging emotions seemed to through energy out of her body. She had checked with Stanley and all the white was on the street. She was meeting a new supplier in a few days. Her supplier from Colombia was getting too greedy. She had never liked him in the first place.

She was going to be meeting with Rico Rivera. He was Cuban. That she understood. At least she could understand the nuances and the lingo more. Cuba…such a foreign concept now. When she had first gotten to the United States over 25 years ago it was all that she thought about and all she heard about at home.

That was a long time away, she told herself. Another lifetime

What mattered was that the powder was on the street and she was over wound. Her nerves were unedged and she needed to release some of that energy. So she rode through the pens looking for what might satisfy for the night. She was so hungry for Barbara that she could taste it in her mouth. And no one…no one would control her like that.

The wheels of the bike rolled from one street to the other and on a corner she saw something that would do. She pulled up to the curb and looked the young woman ovwer from top to bottom.

"Get on."

The young blonde looked towards someone in the dark alley that stepped out quickly. As soon as he saw the Black Angel he nodded.

"Do whatever she wants" The pimp said to the young woman. "Whatever she wants you here girl?"

The girl turned towards the other two older looking women with some concern.

"That's Black Angel…just let her do whatever she wants or she'll get too rough" one of the women said to the girl low enough not to be heard.

"Belinda!" The pimp hollered. "Don't make her wait. Go!"

Belinda got on the bicycle and they sped away.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taya pushed the door open hard and it banged against its frame. Belinda followed her inside the darkened room.

"Shut the door" Taya shouted.

Taya removed her coat and threw it over a chair. She walked towards her bedroom in the dark not turning a single light on.

"Get in here!"

Belinda walked slowly trying to maneuver in total darkness. When she walked in she heard the door bang shut behind her and turned in total fear.

"Its only me" Taya purred. She grabbed the girl by the front of her blouse and pulled her towards the bed roughly.

"Is that your real hair color?" Belinda seemed to be surprised by the question.

"Yes"

Taya touched it for a moment remembering another head of hair. Belinda could see Taya's face from the light coming through the window. And she remained still as she saw the blade that the moonlight hit coming closer to her.

"Don't fight me and I won't hurt you" Taya said between her clenched teeth.

Belinda nodded.

"How long have you worked for Julian?" Taya asked with the blade of the knife was lightly caressing Belinda's neck.

"About six months."

"You like your work?" Taya asked softly.

"I do all right."

The silver blade flew through the air and slid down Belinda's blouse.

"Jesus, I would have taken it off" Belinda complained.

Taya then struck her across the face. "You live by my will."

The young blonde was lying on the bed now and saw as Taya removed her boots, then her pants and strapped on the harness that she pulled out from her drawer. She still held the knife in one hand.

"Get up!"

"I'll do whatever you want okay" Belinda tried to placate the angry woman in front of her.

"Oh you'll do whatever I want all right," was all that Taya said as she turned her around tore the rest of her clothes off and bent her over.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Barbara woke up with at start. She looked around the room and realized she had fallen asleep on the couch.

Taya… Barbara wondered and the name immediately left her lips. "Taya"

She picked up her teacup from the small table to leave in the kitchen and then went up to bed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

At that same moment Taya imagined Barbara's face and fucked the girl harder. She wanted to give pain. She wanted to give pain to release her own. That would take care of things. She got a better grip on the blonde's hips and began to fuck her even harder until the woman cried out in pain. Taya kept fucking her harder until the girl was almost unconscious. She grabbed the blonde by the hair and kept pumping her harder and harder. She never felt the rush of pleasure. It never came. Finally she pushed the woman away from her in anger and lied down on the bed.

"Get out of here!"

Belinda was relieved that it was finally over but remembered that she was supposed to have pleased the Black Angel. If Julian thought for one moment that she had not done everything to satisfy the Black Angel he would kill her. Belinda had not doubts about that.

"I can do anything else you want. I can make you come by sucking you" Belinda said seductive as she tried to touch Taya's midriff. The blade flew through the air and cut the woman on the arm.

"No one touches me. Get out!"

Taya made like she was getting up and Belinda started grabbing her tattered clothes and ran out of the apartment thanking the almighty for getting her out of there alive. She held onto her arm as blood began to trickle down it.

Taya lied on the bed covered in sweat and removed her harness. She lay back still wanting. Her body had felt no satisfaction since she had last been with Barbara. "Damn you to hell Barbara. I should have just fucked you!" She pulled her gun out of its holster from the nightstand and began to fire randomly into the darkness.

All heads turned at the shots heard through the pens and all new the anger of the roar that followed.

With the mighty roar the pens all came to life. They knew the lion was hungry and when that happened…. death would inevitably follow.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Taya lay in the dark. She could hear the heavy breathing coming from her mouth. Taya then got up and walked over to her coat in the other room and pulled out something from its side pocket. She went back and lay down the bed again.

She pulled open tab and the phone pad lit up. She dialed a number and waited.

"Hello?" Said a sleepy voice from the other end.

"Good night Barbara" Taya said softly.

"Goodnight Taya."

Taya closed the cover of the cell phone and then closed her eyes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Continued in Part Three