Beyond Forever

By: M. W. Davis

Everyone deserves resolution.

(Buy locations available at Davisstories.com)
Early Reviews
Beautifully written, Beyond Forever is passionate and romantic.. I found the story within the story
captivating as I was teleported to The Lodge at Peaks alley. !eaders will pull up a chair as "rs.
#ohnson e$plains the particulars surrounding the heartwarming legend of Peaks alley while encouraging
two young lovers to e$plore the possi%ilities discovered %y em%racing and understanding the past. The
story is award&winning material.' Romance Reviews
()hat I liked* +weet, well written, and satisfying are the three words I,d use to descri%e this short story.
The plot flows, you,re pulled along, and you don,t want it to end.. )hat I didn,t like* -an,t think of a
thing. In sum* /ere,s a good one for us romance 0unkies. Pick it up.' 5 stars, Critique De Book
Other book reviews, awars an vieos available at Davisstories.com
B!"RB
#anna$s or%ani&e li'e has been 'racture by one mistake, one increible ni%ht o' un(arallele (leasure,
an now her worl has escene into unbearable solitue. Days burnin% sunli%ht in a min numbin%
ha&e, ni%hts starin% into the black voi envelo(in% her em(ty be, until a stran%er, a (eculiar man lost
within his own shaows, o''ers a (ath to resolution. #e su%%ests a course 'rom her sel')inuce arkness,
i' only she can see the truth behin his wors. *o (ur%e the memories that houn her thou%hts, block her
return to a normal e+istence, she must allow hersel' to circle back where it all be%an.
E,CER-*
+he licked %oth lips, savoring the residual flavor. The hint of almond captured from the depths of
his mouth teased her senses. +he pushed further against the furnace of his taut a%domen with her %are
rump. Low moans escaped her throat while his muscular hands e$plored1
.
#anna /ri''in shot erect in the solitary be. 0he blinly %ro(e the em(tiness, the 'ri%i voi to
her le't, then covere both eyes with barrele 'ists. *he (ain o' se(aration, the abyss between what she an
Erin were an the aloneness she now 'elt consume her.
I can,t take it, this ache in my chest. /elp me out of the darkness.
1-lease, no more.2 #er brain re%istere the wors, yet her heart i%nore the (lea, remaine locke
in the memories, the ni%ht o' un(arallele (leasures when they were connecte in boy an min.
0ubtle reminers (revente her esca(e. *he sensory shock when some stran%er sauntere by, his
masculine colo%ne invain% her nose, or the man at work that walke with (rie, 3ust like Erin, churne
knots in her %ut. 4hat course coul en this 3ourney to nowhere, ricochetin% 'rom one numbin% task to
another 3ust to burn twelve hours o' ayli%ht. #anna stuie the blackene ceilin% 'or an answer, a way
out o' this (it. 5 one wor res(onse across her slee( starve min blare out.
!esolution.
0he must (ur%e everythin% he was, that they were, but how6
2f course. I must stand in the dragon,s %reath.
7nternshi( with the yellow 3ackets o' !arimer County ha convince #anna 'i%htin% wil'ires was
not the ream o' her chilhoo 'antasies. 8et the back)wrenchin% hours, scoure by sun an marre by
ash, conveye one lesson9 only 'ire can conquer 'ire. 0he must return to the s(ark that i%nite this
consumin% 'lame o' yearnin% that woul not be quenche.
The lodge at Peaks alley.
#anna (awe the lam( by her be, ta((e the switch an bolte towar the shower. #al' way
across the room, she sto((e.
3 day trip,s not enough. It has to %e a sleep over. 4et through one night, endure the shadows
alone, and I5ll %e free.
Reirectin% her route 'rom the bathroom, #anna scurrie aroun the hollow a(artment cum (rison,
an stu''e two ays$ worth o' clothes in a worn overni%ht ba%. 0he arte 'or the oor, cau%ht the 'lash o'
a etermine woman, thirtyish, (eerin% back 'rom the mirror, (ause to e+amine her thin nue (ro'ile an
%i%%le to no one.
Forgot something, didn,t ya.
0he iverte to the resser, then the closet, ri'le throu%h a o&en o(tions an eclare, 18es, this
shoul work.2 #anna %rabbe her (urse an lu%%a%e. 0he 3u%%le an a((le an surveye the room 'or any
'or%otten booty, then race out the oor.
: ; :
0i+ty miles north o' Roanoke, <ir%inia, #anna (ulle into an close visitor center, e+ite the sub
com(act, (ro((e both arms across the roo', an o%le the hori&on.
Timing is everything.
4ithin three 'lutters o' a s(arrow$s heart, the sun creste the istant ri%e o' the 0henanoah
=ountains an a ivine artist (ainte the uner belly o' la&y cirrus clous (e((ere across the %rayish
blue blanket with a (alette o' crimson, cyan, an orchi. *he tinte mosaic inhale its secon breath an
the colors ee(ene. *hey e+(ane, consumin% everythin%, until the earth broacast a sim(le messa%e to
anyone willin% to listen. Life is fragile yet wondrous. 6n0oy it. 5nother minute an the short)live miracle
e+(ire an instant be'ore a yellow eyeball burst across the heavens an washe away the ta(estry.
#anna returne to the here an now, the (ain in her chest, the voice screamin% o$ygen, an took
two ee( %ul(s o' cris( ew 'ille air. 0he (lo((e into the co&y interior o' her secon)han car an
continue east onto Route >?, venturin% into the vinta%e, yet bustlin% town o' Buena <ista. 0he heae
alon% the winin% roa between 4asher #ollow an 7nian /a( *rail, crosse @ake$s =ountain an s(lit
the Aorks o' 5nnie. 5t the very crest, two quick turns an the little yellow cou( took control, as i' it
remembere the mistakes o' the (ast, %erminatin% 'rom this very vista, Parker point.
B
#anna (ulle into small (ave lot, kille the en%ine an absorbe the 'aint whis(ers o' each ciner
tree combin% a%ainst its nei%hbors. Behin close lis, she %athere coura%e with each sni'', i%nore the
honey bees bu&&in% aroun the mountain laurel an warnin%, 7ou e$pect too much, too fast. 4o home.
Time will stitch the wound, make you whole again.
1Co, 7 can o this, amn it. 7 can.2
Once a%ain #annah tri((e throu%h the inciental contact with the stran%er now si+ months (ast.
#er min revisite that s(ine)meltin% event. 0he inhale his bewilerin% scent an stare into those
(iecin% cobalt irises. Des(ite the unercurrent o' arro%ance about this an that, her (ulse a%ain res(one
to the resonance o' his commanin% voice saturate with 'lirtation hints. #is re'erence to her tiny hans, a
woman more beauti'ul than the valley below, more allurin% than the twin (eaks 'our miles south. #er
boy 'lushe 'rom the memories.
+uch impertinence.
0till, she absorbe every wor, each (lay'ul s(arkle in those mesmeri&in% eyes while this Erin, this
%iant with chestnut hair (ushe 'orwar an (enetrate her s(ace with the (retense o' a anelion see
burie within her hair. #anna reco%ni&e his (loy an leane 'urther into the man$s tantali&in% touch.
5nother invasion, to her neck, be'ore he counte her 'in%ers. Com(arin% the is(arity between her i%its
an his, he won the s(ort. *he ty(ical (arlay, the %ener wars, a man breakin% own a woman$s resistance
until her 'ortress, her very will, was conquere.
+uch a fool. To fall so soon, so deep.
4hen she (eere throu%h his shiel an looke beneath the veil o' charm into the shaows
ancin% in those 'iery blues, another (erson crie out, a boy hiin% in the closest. 5 s(irit with its own
hesitations, 'ears, uncertainties. "nlike hers, his inner sel' was not e+(ose on the sur'ace, but still there to
be e+(lore by one willin% to venture beyon the veil o' %ames an secrets.
I always thought, I sensed he was more than 0ust words.
#anna 3erke her hea back an 'orth, until nausea rowne her thou%hts. 14hat am 7 oin%6 7$ll
never (ush him out))never.2
Behin close lis, somethin% lurke 3ust out o' reach at the e%e o' a ha&e clouin% her senses.
Cothin% sinister or 'oreboin%. Rather a calm 'i%ure, a han to crale, su((ort. *hrou%h the miasma, a
voice echoe across the sur'ace o' her 3an%le thou%hts. 18o, don,t stop. )hat you seek is there, on the
edge. +tay the course, 0ust push forward.2
#anna sna((e back to that (rivate (lace she visite as a chil, 3ust insie her mental (lay%roun,
where she$ retreat when scole, bullie, or 'ri%htene. Only this time, she wasn$t alone. 5 stran%e but
com'ortin% (resence shaowe her stance, haunte the emons that (ricke at her heart an re'use (eace.
*he bree&e a%ainst her cool 'lesh turne to a warm win, like the blast 'rom a 'urnace as it raws a%ainst
your lun%s. -ressure cushione her rum(, her s(ine, an both nostrils bathe in a masculine aroma. Cot
sweat, rather the musky, (leasant smell o' a natural male.
18oun% lay, are you all ri%ht62
D