He Came With the Book

He Came With The Book

All I did was buy the book.

"Buy the book" hissed the voice in my head.

Charms and Incantations was the title of the book.

Dusty volumes were heaped everywhere in the store.

"Everything on that shelf is 50% off, dearie" purred the owner, a silver-haired woman of indeterminate age.

"Fine, I'll take it" plunking my money down before my husband could see.

Granted , it was a steal for a copy this fine.

Hand-sewn embroidered bindings, a burgundy velvet cover, this book was rare and valuable.

Incunabula, books printed before the 15th-century, were my specialty.

Just how it had ended up in a second-hand shop was anyone's guess.

Knowing my husband would threaten divorce if I brought another book home, I hid it.

Later that night while he was safely snoring I freed the book from its hiding place.

Moonlight poured into the living room through the sliding-glass doors.

Now I could take my time and explore the jewel I'd found.

Opening to the flyleaf I saw inscribed in a bold, masculine hand, For my darling Pierrette.

"Pierrette" I gasped, my alter-ego, my shadow-self, my nom-de-plume.

Quickly scanning the pages I realized this was a tome of love poetry to Pierrette, from Rodrigo.

Rodrigo, what a tremendous erotic presence he must have been!

Suddenly I felt the book vibrating in my hands, literally humming.

Then, in the moonlight, he appeared, tall, dark, cruelly handsome, a 15th-century matinee idol.

"Understand this Pierrette" he said," I am Rodrigo, I am yours".

"Violation comes in many forms" he whispered.

"We have been seperated by the centuries, but no longer."

X-ray stars whirled through the midnight sky.

"You have agreed to play then?" he asked.

Zero-based accounting not being my style, I nodded my head.