IMPOSTER - PART ONE

The sound of water running stirred the consciousness of the man lying in his bed. His large well-toned body occupied most of the space and his long, silky hair lay spread out over his pillow. A slit of light shining through the curtains touched his half-open eyes and he blinked several times. The pattering of the water from the shower down the hall continued and his eyes opened this time -- but not all the way. The lids of his eyes remained somewhat low, but the eyes behind the lids revealed a malevolence that was normally well hidden from the world.
"So...Delgado is taking a shower," he thought and his face at once contorted into a countenance that only a very few people had ever seen. The chiseled features of his handsome face took on an alien quality and harshness that spoke only of pure evil. His tongue ran over his lips sensually as he visualized his wife standing naked under the falling water.
Thinking of her like this reminded him of that day when she had dropped her robe in front of him. Yes, that had been exactly what he had wanted, but that jerk Todd had fought him like a tiger to keep him from getting to her. The sorry S.O.B. thought he had won that day -- protected her from the Big Bad Pete -- but he hadn't disappeared. He had only been lurking in Todd's mind -- waiting for his opportunity to assume complete control of Todd again as he first had on that night with Peter Manning. It was always only a matter of time with Todd. He simply waited for Todd to weaken enough. That's when he could come out and take over. He had always protected Todd from the world and especially those so-called friends and loved ones who would have destroyed him and all of them. Now he was tired of always being in the background of Todd's thoughts. I've got you where I want you now, Todd boy...out of the picture.
Todd always made his blood boil. He despised Todd's struggle to become a better person and his yearning for love. Tom had been responsible for a lot of that -- putting ideas of that sickeningly sweet stuff into his head. Tom was no problem, though. All he had to do was reveal himself to Tom, and Tom went away like a frightened rabbit. Except now Tom was on the loose again and interfering with plans he had. He needed another object lesson as only someone like him could give. In the meantime, Tom's appearance had been quite useful as a means of keeping himself hidden. Thank you, you pathetic wimp!
He heard the water shut off in the room down the hall. Hmmmm...my precious little wife will be getting out of the shower now. He slid one of his long, powerful legs over the side of the bed. Time to have a little fun,he thought, relishing the stream of images that suddenly appeared in his mind.

Tea wrapped a large, yellow towel around her dripping body and began drying off. The steam from the shower had felt so good to her skin and the stress she had been feeling recently had almost evaporated with the pleasant sensation of the warm water. Everything was so up in the air with Todd...or should she just say Tom from now on? That last kiss had been unlike any that she had ever had with Todd. She felt as if her entire body was searing hot and that she was in a trancelike state of being pulled in by something she couldn't identify.
She finished drying off and rewrapped the towel around her and tucked it in. Her long hair hung down her back in dripping ringlets as she reached for another towel. A sensation passed over her that she was being watched, and she jerked her body around to stare into the eyes of her observer.
For half a second she saw something that didn't seem possible reflected in those eyes. It happened so quickly that she thought she might have been daydreaming. Was what she had just seen a leer?

"Tea?" his voice spoke hesitantly, like the persona of Tom from the night before.
"Todd...Tom! You scared me half to death!" She sputtered out the words and tightened her towel around her.
"Oh, gosh, I'm so sorry, Tea! I...I just wanted to know if you wanted some waffles for breakfast...and maybe some melon with it?" He shoved his hands behind his back in a self-depreciatory move and seemed to peak up at her shyly.
"Uh...well, yes...that would be nice, Tom. But you have to knock before you enter a room, okay?"
She watched him as he nodded apologetically and tried to recompose herself. What was she getting so upset for?
Pete let his eyes roam over her with Tom-like innocence. Her peachy skin glowed and everything about her was tantalizing. He could make out the voluptuous curves hidden under her towel. Yeah, old Todd boy had backed off from this. Kept her at arm's length all the time. Even Tom had had a few thrilling moments with her, but he wasn't man enough to fully appreciate this delectable package. Too bad you're incommunicado now, Todd. Now it's my turn.
"Tom," she spoke up with something like exasperation in her tone. "I really need to get dressed now. Breakfast would be lovely, thank you!"
"Tea, about last night," he said and in a flash he had crossed the room over to her side -- awkwardly shifting from one foot to the next as he stood just inches away from her. "I didn't mean to well...take advantage of you in any way...you know...the kissing part."
Tea's moistened lips parted in surprise. Here she was standing next to him in nothing but a towel and he was apologizing for kissing her. The other towel she had been holding slipped from her hand and dropped to the floor. He bent down and picked it up.
Recovering a little, she said, "It's okay, Tom."
She really examined his face this time for any sign at all that this was Todd having a little fun with her. This was maddening and she didn't like the feeling that was coming over her.
"You did like my kiss, didn't you? he asked her tentatively. "Cause I'm not sure sometimes just what you are thinking, y'know. You get that look sometimes, and I'm afraid that I've done something wrong -- really wrong. I don't want you to be mad at me, Tea."
"No...no, Tom. It was a very good kiss, and...I did like it."
"Your hair is dripping, Tea," he suddenly pointed out to her. "You know, Todd was always pushing you away, wasn't he? He wanted to touch you a lot, but he just couldn't. Now, I'm different."
He brought the towel up to her neck and began to blot the dampness on her skin. A smile materialized on his face and Tea's eyes were glued to his in fascination. She was waiting for the smile to work its way up to his eyes, but nothing happened. Suspended in a moment that seemed just too surreal, she could only stand there while he pressed the towel at different points around her neck and even closer to her chest. As suddenly as it had happened, he stopped and practically tossed the towel at her. She grabbed it with an obvious startled expression on her face and looked at his broad back as he shuffled back to the door. He half turned toward her and his slanting eyes cast another unsettling look on her. "See you downstairs, Tea."

Tea's mouth closed again and she exhaled the breath she had been holding inside of her. Ever since she was a little girl she had had a sort of sixth sense that had helped her out of many bad situations. That sense was going off now like a ringing in her brain. Something was not right -- but what?

Pete laughed silently to himself as he descended the stairs. This was going to be too easy and very stimulating. Poor Delgado looked like she had seen a ghost! You don't know who you're dealing with yet, baby, he thought derisively. The fun part will be letting her know it little by little -- not all at once. Mental torture was a game he loved to play and his specialty. It had worked so well with Marty. This was even better, though. Delgado was his wife and she had actually consented to coming back to live with him. Big mistake.

TO BE CONTINUED