More Than Possess You

One Thousand and One Dark Nights

Once upon a time, in the future…

I was a student fascinated with stories and learning.

I studied philosophy, poetry, history, the occult, and

the art and science of love and magic. I had a vast

library at my father’s home and collected thousands

of volumes of fantastic tales.

I learned all about ancient races and bygone

times. About myths and legends and dreams of all

people through the millennium. And the more I read

the stronger my imagination grew until I discovered

that I was able to travel into the stories... to actually

become part of them.

I wish I could say that I listened to my teacher

and respected my gift, as I ought to have. If I had, I

would not be telling you this tale now.

But I was foolhardy and confused, showing off

with bravery.

One afternoon, curious about the myth of the

Arabian Nights, I traveled back to ancient Persia to

see for myself if it was true that every day Shahryar

(Persian: ??????, “king”) married a new virgin, and then

sent yesterday's wife to be beheaded. It was written

and I had read that by the time he met Scheherazade,

the vizier's daughter, he’d killed one thousand

women.

Something went wrong with my efforts. I arrived

in the midst of the story and somehow exchanged

places with Scheherazade – a phenomena that had

never occurred before and that still to this day, I

cannot explain.

Now I am trapped in that ancient past. I have

taken on Scheherazade’s life and the only way I can

protect myself and stay alive is to do what she did to

protect herself and stay alive.

Every night the King calls for me and listens as I spin tales.

And when the evening ends and dawn breaks, I stop at a

point that leaves him breathless and yearning for more.

And so the King spares my life for one more day, so that

he might hear the rest of my dark tale.

As soon as I finish a story... I begin a new

one... like the one that you, dear reader, have before

you now.

Playlist

There are infinite ways to tell someone you love them. Some of the most powerful don’t require words at all. This was the truth rolling through my head when I first conceived of this series, writing about a love so complete that mere letters strung together to make sentences weren’t an adequate communicator of those feelings. Instead, for this series, music was my go-to choice.

I love music. I’m always immersed in it and spend hours a day with my ear buds plugged in. I write to music. I think to music. I even sleep to music. I was thrilled to incorporate songs into the story I felt were meaningful to the journey. I think of it this way: a movie has a soundtrack. Why shouldn’t a book?

So I created one.

Some of the songs I’ve selected will be familiar. Some are old. Some are newer. Some popular. Some obscure. They all just fit (in my opinion) and came straight from the heart. I listened to many of these songs as I wrote the book.

For maximum understanding (and feels), I seriously recommend becoming familiar with these songs and either playing them or rolling them around in your head as you read. I’ve also made it simple for you to give these songs a listen by creating a Spotify playlist. Click HERE for all the enjoyment.

Hugs and happy reading!

1000 Times - Sara Bareilles

I Like It - Cardi B and J Balvin

Hot In Here - Nelly

Walking on Sunshine - Katrina & the Waves

Watermelon Sugar - Harry Styles

Chapter One

Los Angeles

Sunday, May 6

Hayes

“Hey, shortcake.” I wink at my best friend as she opens the door to her stamp-size studio apartment, wearing a white, gauzy, hippy-dippy-trippy halter top and matching shorts with hanging tassels and crocheted lace. Whoa. I’ve never seen her bare that much skin—shoulders, midriff, and thighs—but the style is definitely her vibe. The outfit, like the light brown waves she’s swept from her face in a casual tangle of braids, must be how she’s coping with the strong, hot spring suddenly gripping LA.

But I shouldn’t be surprised by anything Echo Hope says or does. I learned long ago to expect the unexpected from my bestie.

“Hey, string bean.” She steps back to let me in, the strains of some chick ballad playing from the speaker on her counter. It sounds like Sara Bareilles singing something maudlin about “1000 Times.”

Echo likes offbeat music.

“Are you ever going to stop calling me that?” I glare at her. She nicknamed me that at fifteen when I shot straight up, and it stuck. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve filled out since then.”

I’ve spent a lot of time in the gym and playing sports to make sure of that.

“Yeah, but you’ll always be my string bean…” She sends me a cheesy smile as I follow her inside. The scents of coffee, sugar, cinnamon, and something else delicious I can’t put my finger on go straight to my nose and make my mouth water as she lifts a champagne bottle from the nearby counter. “Mimosa? Juice? Beer? Hair of the dog?”