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PLUTOÅS OFFERING

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TEASE PUBLISHING

www.teasepublishingllc.com

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the authorÓs imagination or are

used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or

persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A Tease Publishing Book/E book

PlutoÓs Offering

ISBN: 978-1-60767-014-8

Cover Artist: Stella Price

Interior text design: Stacee Sierra

permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

Tease Publishing LLC

www.teasepublishingllc.com

PO BOX 234

Swansboro, North Carolina 28584-0234

Chapter 1

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Iriana rolled over and hit the stop button on her alarm clock, sighing in relief as the shrill buzzing

sound became silent. Keeping her eyes closed she rolled back onto her stomach and promptly fell

asleep.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Groaning Iriana rolled over again, keeping her eyes closed she reached blindly for the phone.

ÐHello?Ñ

ÐWhere the hell are you? You were supposed to be here an hour ago. The bride is freaking out.Ñ

Her best friend and assistant Corrina hissed.

Groaning Iriana opened her eyes and turned her head. The clock clearly read 10:20 A.M. ÐShit.Ñ

She sat up quickly and ran a hand through her hair. ÐIÓll be there ASAP, just give me a few

minutes to get it together.Ñ

ÐHurry up, if I have to hear, ÒItÓs my day, IÓm the bride.Ó One more time I will be going to jail for

sticking my foot up that pretentious heiferÓs ass.Ñ The line went dead and Iriana shook her head and

let out a heavy sigh. ÐToday is going to be a long day.Ñ

She showered quickly, pulling her long, dark brown hair back into a low ponytail. Dressed in her

favorite red suit that hugged her curves perfectly, she checked her appearance in the full length

mirror. Brushing off some lint from the smooth cotton fabric she smiled at her reflection and slid on

her sunglasses. ÐTime to work my magic.Ñ

Turning, she left her apartment and headed for the bank of elevators on her floor. Tapping her

foot with impatience she glanced toward the panel of floor to ceiling windows on either side of the

hallway. The sun shone brightly in the sky, large puffy white clouds floated against the robinÓs egg

blue sky. Smiling she felt a sense of calm. The wedding she was heading to was outdoors, no rain

meant a happy bride, which meant less hissy fits. Her lateness could be smoothed over with a bribe,

in the form of a specially designed, one of kind, crystal cake topper.

Humming softy she watched the large sliding doors of the elevator open. Stepping in, she hit the

button for the lobby and leaned against the back railing as she waited for the cab to reach its

destination. It didnÓt take long until she was at the lobby and out of the building. A cool breeze

brushed her face and her heels clicked on the sidewalk as she made her way to the parking lot.

ÐBeware, the end is near, Pluto will rise again.Ñ

Iriana passed by an old woman dressed in rags, holding up a sign that declared the rise of Pluto

was imminent. She just shook her head, ÐHate to tell you but Pluto isnÓt even considered a major

planet anymore.Ñ

The woman rushed after her, grabbing her sleeve. ÐBeware, Pluto will rise again.Ñ

Iriana paused, ÐSorry but I donÓt think so. Here, take this.Ñ

She dug into her purse, pulled out her wallet and slipped out a twenty dollar bill. ÐIÓm sorry itÓs all

I have on me right now.Ñ

ÐI donÓt want your money,Ñ the woman hissed, shoving IrianaÓs hand back. ÐIÓm here to warn you,

Pluto will rise again, they all will.Ñ

ÐUh, okay,Ñ She slipped the money back into her wallet and shoved it into her purse. ÐLook, is

there family I could call, friends, maybe a doctor. ThereÓs a homeless shelter just round the corner, itÓs

got rooms and a job center and helps people get back on their feet. I can take you there if you want.Ñ

The woman pulled back, looking as if sheÓd been slapped. Drawing herself up to her full height

which was much more that IrianaÓs five foot three stature, the woman loomed over her. ÐI, madam,

am a seer, gifted by the divine. Mark my words, Pluto will rise and you will meet him.Ñ

She blinked, ÐPluto as in the Roman god of the Dead? Uh, okay. Look, I gotta go, it was nice

meeting you and please do see someone or use the homeless shelter I was telling you about. ItÓs called

the Sheltered Pines, run by a really nice woman named Ricki.Ñ

Iriana pulled her arm away and turned on her heel, walking away. When she got to the entrance

of the car park, she glanced over to where the old woman was but found her gone. Shrugging, Iriana

headed for her car. That was the only part of her day that went right. The crystal cake topper hadnÓt

arrived yet and she had to wait three hours for it. The bride threatened to sue her but Corrina

managed to smooth things over. She got hit on by no less than three drunken groomsmen and

accidentally sat on cake that someone had left on their seat. By the time the wedding was over, she

was tired, hungry and had a pounding headache.

Leaving her favorite coffee shop with a nice ham and cheese sandwich, she made her way to her

car to find a parking ticket stuck between the windshield and the wipers. Growling she looked over at

the parking meter that had taken her coins. ÐI fed you, gave you money and this is how you treat me?

What the hell?Ñ

Thankfully the fine wasnÓt too high so she wasnÓt too mad. After sliding behind the wheel of her

car, she put the key in the ignition and turned, nothing, not even a little sputter to tell her that the

engine had some life in it. When she tried to call for a cab and the towing company she found her cell

phone batteries were dead. Hanging her head she headed back to the coffee shop to find the phones

were out of order. Rushing from store to store the same she found the same thing until she reached a

tiny little TV repair shop.

The owner, a tall man, with messy curly brown hair, blue eyes and sweet boyish look about him,

let her use his phone. As she exited the shop a downpour started, lightning crackling in the sky and

thunder rumbling after it. Shrieking, she rushed back into the small store. ÐYou have got to be kidding

me. Does God hate me today?Ñ

ÐSomething wrong?Ñ The shop owner asked coming out of the back room.

ÐSorry, can I wait here? As you can see the weather has gone crazy.Ñ She gestured toward the

front window and looked back at the man.

ÐUh sure, stay as long as you need to. Would you like some coffee?Ñ He smiled and gestured to the

best thing sheÓd seen all day, a Java Express 4.5, the best coffee, cappuccino, espresso, latte maker in

the world. Her shoulders sagged in relief. ÐYes, yes, yes, I would love a cup. Can that thing do a mocha

cappuccino?Ñ

He grinned, eyes crinkling at the sides making him even cuter than before, ÐOf course. IÓm sort of

a coffee snob. If it canÓt make all my favorite coffee drinks the way I want them, then itÓs not worth the

metal thatÓs used for its casing.Ñ

She laughed. HeÓs weird but cute. ÐDo you have a bathroom? IÓd like to try and dry off, if I can.Ñ

He pointed to a darkened hallway. ÐAt the end, the last door on the left.Ñ

ÐThank you.Ñ Iriana followed his directions and found herself in a small bathroom with just a

toilet, sink and small mirror. The naked bulb overhead gave just enough light that she could see what

a mess she was. Her makeup was smeared, hair soaked and her suit was wrinkled. Looking around

she didnÓt spot a hand dryer so she settled for paper towels. Undressing, she dried herself off first

before squeezing out the jacket and skirt as best she could, then blotting the material with the towels.

When there was nothing else that could be done she got dressed again and made her way out to

the front counter only to find the shop keeper gone. Figuring he had something that needed repairing

she waited for the coffee to finish. When the timer went off and he didnÓt show up, Iriana shrugged,

made her way around the counter and picked up the cup of coffee that smelled like rich decadent

chocolate and coffee. Inhaling the scent deeply, she blew away some steam and took a tentative first

sip. Her taste buds sang at the bitter sweetness that rushed over her tongue.

She drank slowly. When her stomach growled she was reminded of the ham and cheese sandwich

from the coffee shop that she had stuffed into her purse. She took the sandwich out of the bag in her

purse, unwrapped it, and then proceeded to devour it taking large bites. When that was done, she

found herself feeling sleepy. Yawning, she looked around. The shop keeper had yet to appear. She

walked around the counter and sat down on a small wooden chair. Tilting her head back she yawned

again. Her eyelids became heavy and her vision blurred. Arms hanging at her sides, shoulders

sagging, then darkness rippled at the edge of her vision.

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