Language: yes, I use the “F” word

Sex: Of course there is sex, the hot and nasty kind. Depictions of consenting adults participating in same sex unions and possibly light BDSM scenarios, so if you are vanilla, be warned that this is dark chocolate, both bitter and sweet.

Violence: some and shit gets blown up too!

Torrid woke up to the spotted sunlight on her face; she attempted a stretch but her body was a wreck of pain and bruises. She winced when she took in a deep breath, and her mind raced to remember what she had done the night before to feel this bad now.
Oh yeah, she smiled to herself, one hell of a night!

She slowly sat up and reached for her cigarettes, feeling the pain in her arms and groaning. She put a smoke in her mouth and raised her lighter up, pausing. Torrid put the smoke back into her cigarette case and tossed the case onto the nightstand. I need to quit anyway. Now’s as good a time as any, she thought to herself. She got up and went to the shower; she turned on the hot water to let it heat while she brushed her teeth and washed her face in the sink. Torrid grabber her bath robe from the hook on the back of the bathroom door, and her favorite soft towel.

Stepping into the shower felt so good! The warm water hitting her tired and sore muscles was like heaven. The pain was sweet, hard earned and appreciated by Torrid. From the first punch to the last kick, the feeling of tension when she filled her lungs to take a breath, the bruises forming on her arms and shins, all hard earned. Torrid smiled as the water hit her face, as she shampooed her hair and scrubbed her body with her loofa, cleansing away the tension and reveling in the feeling of her body being well used the night before.

It had been years since Torrid had set foot inside the dojang. She thought she would never go back, but a week after Drelica drove her back , she began to process the loss of her bike. Her bike had become part of her identity, and it was a painful experience losing it. She had debated for some time, returning to her martial arts, and now was as good a time as any.

Torrid decided she needed something more personal, something intrinsic to remind her of who she was in the world. She wanted to reconnect with the peaceful time in her life before the turbulent years overtook her and the dark side consumed her. The dojang was that place of peace. The art of Chayon Do was something no one could ever take away from her, except her. And she had done that...

Her teachers were surprised when she had called them, and happy to have her come back. They had wondered what had happened to her all those years, and were pleased that she was alive and well, despite herself and her temper. When she walked into the dojang she was met by Master Jayce, an elderly woman who had been Torrid’s trainer from the time she was in her late teens. Torrid stepped in and removed her shades, allowing Master Jayce to take her in. Evaluate her.

“Torrid, you are much changed from the girl I once knew. How far off the path you have strayed.” She said with a soft smile, stepping close to embrace torrid. Torrid returned the embrace and then offered a respectful bow, acknowledging Master Jayce’s wisdom and experience in the system.

“You always had such fine manners.” Jayce said, returning the bow. “It was never your manners that held you back, Torrid.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Torrid said in humble reply, “It was my temper.”

“It was more than that. But I can see the road map of your journey all over you. You come to me much humbled. “

“You have no idea, “ Torrid said, “It’s been a long and winding road, my teacher. But I am home, if home will have me.”

“Home is where your heart is, Torrid. Is your heart with us here? Our hearts have always been with you.” Jayce Said with compassion, placing a hand on Torrid’s shoulder and squeezing gently.

“My heart has come home, my teacher.” Torrid said, her voice breaking.

Jayce smiled. She went into the supply closet and returned with a dobok and a white belt. Handing them to Torrid she said, “Go change, and come back to me.”

Torrid cocked her head at the sight of the white belt, but said nothing. She went into the changing room and put on the fresh dobok, rolling the sleeves up to reveal her wrists, the pant legs to show her ankles, and finally tying the white belt around her danjan. She emerged from the dressing room in the dobok of a white belt beginner and stepped out into the dojang. Bowing as she entered, she turned and faced the system banner, and bowed to show her respect for the principles and philosophy of the natural way, and her intent to come to the training hall to learn.

She turned and faced a room full of her colleagues, new faces and old, and stood there humbly before them all in her white belt. This was her lesson in humility. When she left, she had been a second degree black belt. Torrid understood Jayce’s reasoning behind giving her a white belt, and making her take her place among beginners. It was to show respect for the system, and to allow her to earn her place. She would have to test for her rank, just like everyone else. She had been away from the system for five years, had not kept up with her disciplines.

After class, when the other students were dismissed, Torrid was called over to the group of brown and black belts by Jayce.

“Torrid you remember Sabom Nim Lisa Brown, and Kyo Sa Nim Stephen Kim.”

“Yes,” Torrid said, bowing to her former colleagues. “It’s been a long time.”

Lisa spoke first, “Torrid Duncan. Where the hell have you been?” Lisa was the last person Torrid spoke to before she left the dojang. She and Torrid had had an argument about Torrid’s night time vigilante tactics. Lisa was very upset at Torrid at the time and said some hurtful things to her, accusing her of having no honor or loyalty. What she didn’t know was what had set Torrid off, no one ever would.

“I have been lost, but I found my way home.” Torrid said, trying not to let Lisa’s tone affect her. She knew this was a test too.

Stephen spoke next, “I see you come back as a white belt, did you forget your forms?” he chuckled.

“Torrid comes to test for her rank. When she left us, you were a blue belt, and she was a Kyo Sa Nim, Stephen, so remember that, and respect that.” Jayce replied.

“Yes, Ma’am“, Stephen replied, chagrined.

“Well,” Lisa said, “Let’s see your most basic form, and your most advanced form, Torrid.”

Torrid bowed, and went to the center of the training hall. She was given the command to begin, and she started to do her forms for the three black belts who stood before her. The first hour was hard, but she pushed herself, remembering back through the years the proper ways to execute, to land her hands and feet at the same time, to breath, to kihop loudly, and to always remain in the last position until told to return to the on-guard position.

Her testing went on for several weeks, as she was given command after command and forced to recall, remember and retrain herself without relenting by the three black belts.

Last night’s sparring had been intense. The past few weeks she had spent retraining herself, remembering her forms, her practicals, the external fundamentals of the system, and preparing herself for the final test for her rank; she would have to spar Jayce herself.

Torrid toweled herself off and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. She grabbed her socks and boots and Lock Jaw’s leash as she headed downstairs to make herself some breakfast.

“Come on boy,” she called to Lock Jaw, who was still at the top of the steps yawning sleepily. “Come get your breakfast.”

Torrid’s cell phone rang. She put down Lock Jaw’s bowl and picked up her phone from the countertop,
“Yeah?” she said, pouring herself a glass of juice with her free hand.

“Miss Duncan, this is officer Whitman, a HPD, “ the voice on the phone said. “We have some news about your stolen motorcycle. Now it seems you pressed charges against a--Monica Truman for the theft?”

“That’s right, she had a key.” Torrid said.

“Well it seems she also has an alibi, and there’s no evidence that it was her, so she’s been released and the charges have been dropped due to lack of evidence. I am sorry to tell you this, but there’s nothing we can do.”

“Fuck.” She said under her breath. “Well okay, thanks anyway.” Torrid frowned as she hung up her cell. She looked down at Lock Jaw and watched him devour his food like a back hoe devours dirt. She reached down and scratched his hear, thinking aloud, “Well, I know she did it. At least the insurance check will cover a down payment on a new one. Eat up boy, you get to go to the park today.” Lock Jaw wagged his tail in response.

Drelica’s alarm went off, and her finger emerged from under the comforter, flipping off the offending noise. “Alright--Alright!” she grumbled as she crawled closer to the clock radio, finally reaching it and pushing the snooze button. Drelica flipped the covers down as she sat up in bed, and looked at the view out of her window to see the sunny day she had hoped for this weekend.

Drelica got up and made coffee. She went to her front door to get the paper, and paused to look at the view from her terrace. It was a lovely day and there was a lovely view of the park below. Drelic decided to have her coffee on the terrace and do some people watching before she went into her office at the museum.

Drelica decided to go in this weekend and avoid seeing David Temple again before she had to leave Sunday night to return to the dig site. David was a good person, and he was a good curator, but he had a very narrow attitude when it came to fieldwork, and was more interested in kissing up to the corporate element of the museum trade, rather than focus on the science.

The science had been her passion since Drelica was a child. While Monica was riding ponies and having imaginary tea parties, Drelica had been playing with rubber dinosaurs and pretending to explore hidden caves and tombs. She was fascinated with history, earth history, and human history--didn’t matter, as long as it was history. Drelica loved digging, because when you dig, that’s when you find the truth.

So she clashed with David on a regular basis. The recent vandalism and injury of the diggers out west was a ‘scandal’ in his eyes, but Drelica took it all in stride and handled the backers like a professional. Addressing their concerns, suggesting that additional security measures be taken to secure the dig site, and then she unveiled the specimens that Mark had been cleaning and prepping just for the purpose of shutting their mouths and opening their wallets. It worked. But it made David difficult to be around. He wasn’t happy with what he termed ‘grandstanding’.

Drelica sighed as she sipped her coffee and watched people walking their dogs in the park below. Today she had to finish reports and inventory sheets and oversee the loading of new equipment for transport to the dig site, and tonight, she would be on the road again heading west. She couldn’t wait.

Torrid jogged through the park with Lock Jaw trailing behind her stopping to bark and tree the occasional squirrel. It felt good to break a sweat, and to just work her body through the pain and bruising of the sparring the night before. Torrid ran past the zoo entrance, around the duck pond and across hippie hill to cross the street to the rose garden, public golf courses and the museum parking lot. Herman Park was busy on the weekends; families having picnics and visitors to the city’s attractions.

She went to her pickup and popped down the tailgate; she motioned for Lock Jaw to hop up into the back of the truck. As he did so she opened her cooler and pulled out a bottle of water for herself and a collapsible water bowl for him which she filled from her bottle. “Here you go boy,” she said breathlessly as she patted him.

“Well, well,” a voice said from behind Torrid. “We keep bumping into each other here, Torrid.”

Torrid turned to see Drelica approaching from her Jeep, carrying a messenger bag and her cell phone, which she had a head set attached to. Torrid smiled and waved to Drelica.

“Hey Drelica,” Torrid said, grinning. “What’s up?”

Drelica stopped and put her weight on one hip; she folded her arms over her chest and cocked her head to one side and stared at Torrid with a wry grin.

“What?” Torrid asked shrugging.

“Why haven’t you returned my calls?” Drelica cornered.

Torrid froze. Ah fuck! she thought, I forgot to call her back!

“Well, it’s like this--see--” Torrid started. “I started training again and time got away from me, and --the whole mess with my bike, and I been really busy. Really!”

Drelica snorted, “I can’t believe you pulled that line with me! Forget it Torrid--you don’t have to call me back. I can take a hint.” She said walking away.

Torrid froze, what the fuck? I really was busy!

She reached out and grabbed Drelica’s wrist and pulled her close. She put her other arm around Drelica and looked deep into those emerald pools. As Torrid moved closer, Drelica felt her stomach flip over, as she knew what was coming next and she started to struggle free, but Torrid held her in place. Torrid covered her mouth and kissed her deeply--passionately. Time stood still as the kiss went on and on; silk and velvet mingling, power and passion tasting like honey and salt. Torrid claimed Drelica’s mouth, Drelica accepted Torrid’s assault, welcomed it. The tension that had driven them for weeks pushing them now to collide in this instant. This was a fucking hot kiss!

When the kiss was finally broken, Torrid held Drelica in her arms starring into her eyes for a long moment before either of them spoke. The applause of the crowd in the parking lot went unnoticed by the couple as they were caught up in each other as no other women were ever caught up before. They had fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

Torrid brushed Drelica’s cheek gently, smiling. “Come away with me..” Torrid said softly.

“Oh God...” Drelica said, breathlessly, “I would love too, I really would, but Torrid, I can’t.”

Torrid’s smile faded and she slowly pulled back. She took a step backwards away from Drelica allowing them both a moment to recover. Drelica took Torrid’s hand in hers and raised it to her lips; she placed a soft kiss on Torrid’s hand and lowered her face to Torrid’s palm, rubbing her cheek against it.
“Torrid--I have to go back in the field tonight. Will you call me?” she asked softly.

Torrid nodded, enjoying the feel of Drelica’s baby soft cheek in the palm of her hand.

“Will you think about me while I’m away?” Drelica whispered, watching Torrid’s fascination with her gentle administrations.

“Baby,” Torrid said in a strained whisper, “I’m thinking about you now!”

Drelica’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it!” She pulled herself away and dropped Torrid’s hand.

“That’s better,” Drelica said, folding her arms over her chest, as Torrid raised an eyebrow. Drelica broke into a soft giggle, and she said, “I was teasing you!”

Torrid smiled and stepped over to put Lock Jaw’s water bowl back into the cooler. She closed the tailgate of her truck saying, “We’re even then.”

“Torrid--think about me?” Drelica said, stepping away and turning toward the museum, but watching Torrid as she did.

Torrid winked at her and smiled, “I’ll think about you, Drelica. If you think about me.”

“Sure thing,” Drelica said, then she thought to herself, As if I could think of anything else after that kiss--damn I am wet! Great....busy, lonely and now...horny!