Dark Harlequin: The Clockwork Ninja

The first thing Terrencio remembered clearly, was feeling something hard on his face, then in the distance a dog barked. Like a sleeper rising out of deep and forgetful dreams, he would have taken a deep breath and stretched luxuriously. But the sleeper had no lungs to breath with, and hard learned caution kept him absolutely still. He heard a light step nearby. Someone was in the room with him, and then a whiff of perfume!

Oh God it smells like rose water!

Terrencio slowly opened his eyes a slit. The room shimmered and glowed, and there not too far from him a petite figure glowed brightly. He closed his eyes and willed his spirit sight to recede into the back of his being, and called up his weaker human senses. He heard papers being shuffled, and risked opening his eyes again. She was about ten feet away. Immediately, Terrencio noticed how beautiful and shapely she was. He blinked to try to clear his poor eyesight, and followed the curve of her shapely calf rising out of modest high heels up to her black, relatively short skirt which cradled her sumptuous derrière. The skirt tapered into a waist so small he could almost feel it in his two hands already! A business-like yet feminine lavender blouse rose up from the skirt and hugged the curves of her torso. Her dark brown hair was french braided and tied with a bow of the same color as her blouse.

Oh but turn and grace your humble servant with your visage fair Helen! He thought, and as she bent over the desk that she had been shuffling papers on, an antique mirror on the desk offered a view of her face in profile.

Her olive complexion carried a light tan. Her elegant arching eyebrows were drawn together in a cute almost petulant scowl as she searched through the papers on the desk. A slender nose led his gaze past the long lashed dark eyes to the little bow of a mouth, whose red lips were pursed in irritation. Dimples, and two long black earrings led his eyes up and around her heart shaped face. Had he had a heart, it would have been beating rapidly. As it was, even without lungs he made an all too human sounding small gasp of awe.

She stopped, glanced into the mirror and saw him staring at her. As their eyes met for a brief moment, he realized from the view in the mirror, that he was slumped in a large open box that almost resembled a coffin, which was leaning against a wall. He also realized he had some sort of mask covering most of his face. He immediately closed his eyes, and realized the room had gone absolutely quiet. He knew she had turned and was looking at him. In the quiet he heard the tick of some antique timepiece, and then quiet tentative steps approaching him.

Damn! He thought as he prepared to call up his spirit senses.

The smell of her perfume became headier, and he knew she was standing right in front of him. It was all he could do to 'play possum' as they say and remain absolutely still. Every fiber in him wanted him to open his eyes, smile and sweep her off her feet. Yeah. A lot of sweeping he'd do, what with the screaming and fainting or other forms of feminine hysterics. But the image of this beautiful woman was glowing in his mind, and as he thought of a hundred little variations that he might try that wouldn't scare her completely out of her wits, he felt a light touch on the side of his neck, and then he felt his head turned one way and then slowly the other way.

She must have her hands on whatever mask I'm wearing. Terrencio thought as he allowed his head to be moved a little to one side or the other.

Next he felt a little shove, almost a poke, on his upper chest and shoulder, then felt her hand run down his front a short distance, then push against his upper thighs as though she was trying to make him stand straighter in the box. The sensation was accompanied by a rustling sound around him like dried leaves.

From in front of him he heard a giggle and then a laugh, “Angelina you idiot! You're creepin' yourself out!”

He heard more soft laughter and steps moving away from him, then papers being rustled again. “I've been working too many hours. Gotta find that bill of lading and go home. Maybe I left it over by the door when the UPS guy came in.” The sound of footsteps moved further away.

Unfortunately, her touch, the sound of her voice and the rich scent of her perfume so close to Terrencio, had worked its charm on his unusual body, and he felt that normally wonderful, swelling, tingling sensation begin between his legs.

Oh for cripes sake! This is SO not a good time! He thought frantically, as he almost groaned out loud. If she comes back in here she will definitely be able to tell something is 'up'. Jeez you'd think I should be able to control that thing! Man, I gotta get outta here and quick!

Terrencio eased his eyes open a slit. Angelina was nowhere in site.

Angelina! What a wondrous name! He smiled dreamily, then shook his head. Fool of an over sized horny marionette FOCUS!

He slowly looked around the room and saw windows through an archway to his right. It was night! What luck! To his left about twenty five feet away was the opening to what looked like a hallway, and glowing above it was the word 'EXIT'.