Dark of kNight Read online

  Charlotte turned around to face Casey. Her eyes met mine momentarily then returned to Casey’s with a crease on her forehead. “I… ” she paused as if carefully considering, then deciding it was not a good idea. The expression on her face softened and then she reached out, taking my hand into hers. “I would rather you stayed here. It … .” she paused again, and cautiously chose her words. “It would be better for you, I think. You don’t need to be in that house all alone.”

  “I won’t,” I insisted. “I have Casey.” I forced out a reassuring smile.

  “Yes, but… ” she stopped, staring more intently. “Okay. But you promise me you both will be back here for dinner every evening. I mean it.” Her glance was stern, much like the one I often had witnessed on Thomas's face.

  A smile crossed my lips, nodding to Casey whose excitement flooded the room. Her excitement resulted from spending time away from the watchful eyes of her parents.

  Anyone could tell she was bored to death.

  “Great!” her high pitched voice cheered. Charlotte glanced at Casey, and the stern look returned.

  “I mean it!” Charlotte snapped.

  “Okay, Mom. Don’t worry. Geesh! I promise we’ll be here.”

  Charlotte’s eyes traveled from Casey back to me. With a sigh, she turned and walked toward the kitchen.

  ≈≈≈

  Charlotte cooked the lasagna to perfection, simmering the sauce for hours before she baked it. The end result was a mouthwatering melody of delight. The calm feelings of being surround by family swept over me. Charlotte’s expression turned to relief when she noticed how I had slouched in my chair. Although, I knew she had been watching me, it was funny when she tried to hide her glances. My appetite had faded earlier, but once the taste of the food hit my tongue, the rest of my body agreed. A few quizzical smiles passed across the quiet dinner. Her face softened into a smile when she returned to her plate. Of course, it was Casey who brought on the onslaught of chatter about boyfriends and college life. With an occasional glance toward Charlotte, Thomas otherwise remained silent and listened to the girl talk.

  Through with the inquiries, Thomas cleared his throat and we all looked up from our plates. When Thomas Maxwell speaks, everyone listens. His eyes shifted to Charlotte whose hand immediately went to her husband’s arm. Her gentle eyes pleaded with him. Thomas's black eyebrows drew together when he looked into the beautiful eyes of his wife. Looking down into his plate, he cleared his throat once again. My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach when his eyes met mine. I no longer felt the need to continue to eat. The room fell silent, primarily because everyone knew the next words that would come from his mouth. When he opened his mouth, I heard a soft, “Thomas?” escape from Charlotte’s barely moving lips. The words came out in a breathless whisper. After being sorely corrected, Thomas frowned slightly and then gently patted her hand.

  “I cannot imagine why my son is late. He should have been here by now.” He finally retorted.

  “He called and said he would be a little late. There had been a flight delay.” Charlotte imposed. “He should be here any time.”

  The words no sooner escaped her mouth than we heard the door open. Everyone looked up in surprise as Casey jumped and looked toward her parents. Her eyes widened with excitement. She hadn’t seen her brother in almost three years. She bolted from the table, sliding the chair against the fine polished wooden floor. I could hear the gasp in her parents’ breath when she sprang from the table and dashed out the large formal dining room. The sound of her footsteps running through the hall suddenly stopped short.

  “Daniel!” her voice shrilled.

  Low murmurings of voices came from the next room, babbling Casey and a deeper voiced individual. Casey appeared first as every eye focused on the entranceway waiting patiently for the expected quest. Bright eyed and full of joy, she dragged her brother into everyone’s view.

  My eyes widened when he came into full sight. I hadn’t seen Daniel since I left for college four years ago. After finishing his four-year degree, he moved to Scotland to finish his studies and begin research, working intently on a project he and my father had begun. His head remained down when he walked into the room, but anyone could see the change without even looking into his face. The first thing I noticed was his dark black hair. He had let it grow a little, trimmed neat and clean on the sides. Charlotte stood to embrace her long lost son. When he looked up to greet his mother, my breath froze. Casey was right. Daniel did look different. His smile broadened when he reached for the arms of his mother to embrace her. Stepping back, he gave a glance to his father who sat rigid in his chair. An odd static filled the air when father and son passed a greeting nod. His eyes fell upon me.

  The gangly boy that I once knew had disappeared. I stared in disbelief. His long dark eyelashes accented dark brown eyes. His eyebrows were heavier than I remembered.

  Nevertheless, the difference was very distinct. Daniel had a certain mystery about him. The smooth and defined facial structures were only complemented by the tightened jaw line. My eyes drifted from his jaw line to his perfectly smooth lips. I couldn’t help but notice the taut and well-built body that strained the threads of his blue polo shirt

  “Jewels?”

  Warm blood rushed to my cheeks. Standing before me was a person who I had known all my life, yet I barely recognized this beautiful creation. Daniel was, without a doubt in my mind, utterly gorgeous. My mouth opened, but no words escaped.

  “I told you he looked good.” Casey shot in.

  My face grew hotter when I realized everyone’s eyes settled on me. Breaking free from my humiliation, I forced myself to clear my throat.

  “Daniel?”

  “Jewels, look at you.” Daniel moved toward me.

  My heart raced and my hands trembled. His outstretched arms invited a hug. I tried to stand up and had to reach quickly to catch my glass when I clumsily tipped it over. He reached for me all the same and folded his arms around me. Daniel’s arms held me in a tight embrace making it almost difficult to breathe. I could have almost killed myself when I trembled in his arms. Daniel felt the slight tremor running through me. Pulling me closer, he tightened his muscular arms around me. I nearly fainted from the feel of his hard body so close to mine.

  “You look great. Really, I mean beautiful.”

  White teeth gleamed through his seductive smile. I realized when the little specks of stars danced in front of my eyes, I wasn’t breathing. I inhaled a quick breath.

  “You too.” It was all I could manage to say.

  I wanted to reach over to the table, pick up the knife and stab myself from the way I sounded. My embarrassment rose to a new level when laughter erupted around the table.

  Even Thomas spared me no pain when he laughed.

  “I mean,” I tried to salvage a bit of pride in the situation. “You really have changed.” Still the tone in my voice couldn’t hide my obvious attraction to Daniel.

  “Thanks. I am sorry to hear about your Dad. I can only imagine how… ” he stopped short when Charlotte and Casey both inhaled a loud quick breath. Looking toward Charlotte, her expression turned into a very hard “don’t do that” motherly glare. His eyes met mine again, seeing the painful expression cloud my face, he left the sentence unfinished. “It is good to see you, really.”

  ≈≈≈

  After dinner, Casey drove me back to my house. With a stomach full of lasagna, not to mention a long and very emotionally exhausting day, I was tired. Even the gorgeous new Daniel couldn’t hold my attention very long. The invisible box remained tightly closed while I reflected on the previous hours.

  We entered the house and it was as I remembered. The high dark wood beam ceilings of the home complemented the large glass wall on the south side of the house. The smell of my Dad’s cologne still lingered in the air. The huge rock electric fireplace complemented the wood interior.

  The memories flooded my mind of the Christmas tree many years ago. The presents, my
friends and me, laughing while we sat around the tree and opened presents. I recalled the beauty of the fire that once burned in the fireplace that now sat empty and quiet. No crackling flames and sparks. No quiet hum while the fire blazed upward.

  Casey brushed against my side, taking my hand in hers. Her eyes carried a slight twinkle. But, hidden behind those eyes, I knew were conflicting thoughts. Casey never could keep her emotions from showing on her face.

  “Come with me. I have something to show you.” She directed me toward the garage. My curiosity had the best of me before she even turned on the lights. Suddenly she stopped and turned to me. She smirked a grin like the cat that ate the canary. She pressed her hands together in a prayer-like fashion. “Please don’t get upset, okay?” I nodded and she stepped aside.

  My father’s silver Jaguar was first in view. It really wasn’t until my eyes fell upon a silver sportier car beside his daunting one, a big red bow on the hood, that my mouth fell open.

  “Martin bought this a few weeks ago. It appeared he and my father planned on a shopping trip for cars. It’s your graduation present. He said something about he was tired of you driving around that tatty old Mustang.” That tatty old Mustang was my favorite. My father knew how I felt about the extravagance of money. All I ever wanted was a normal life with a normal career, something with purpose. Not necessarily to be the best plastic surgeon, but do something meaningful to help people or save lives. I wanted to find my purpose in this life. The smooth paint cooled my fingertips. Well, it was a nice looking car. Besides being a sports car, it was a convertible sports car, much to my satisfaction.

  “What is it?” I opened the door and claimed the driver’s seat.

  “It’s a Mitsubishi Eclipse Spyder. He knew that you would be upset if he bought you what he wanted.” I could tell by the way she stressed the word he, my father probably had a more expensive car in mind. “He knew you loved sporty cars, so he kind of compromised with himself. Do you like it?”

  “Yes.” My eyes dropped and so did my heart. Dad always spoiled me when he shouldn’t.

  “Hey, it’s late. Let’s get some rest. We have plenty of time to talk tomorrow.” Casey knew that I was weakening. She knew my box would unravel soon enough, exploding like a volcano. So away we went upstairs.

  Nestled in my bed, I closed my eyes closed while waiting for sleep to follow. I heard only hear the silence when my body drifted deeper into the slumber of the night. Quietly I drifted until no more sounds were heard.

  TWO

  My breaths came in quick gasps while my body trembled violently. My eyes opened, but still in the world of my dream, I couldn’t yet focus. My heart pounded so loudly it was deafening. Slowly, Casey’s face came into focus. Her horror filled wide eyes added to my current fear, especially since I couldn’t hear a word coming from her moving mouth. Her hands gripped my arms, shaking me until my senses came back in line with reality. Her voice came in and out of the deafness. “Jew… J… Jewels!” The voice matched the moving lips.

  “What… ”

  “Jewels!” she shrieked.

  My ears stung, feeling the impact of the high shrill in her voice. I swear, Casey’s voice had the same effect as fingernails running down a chalkboard. “Shush!” I commanded.

  “You were screaming!”

  “I had a bad dream. A horrible nightmare.”

  “Your screams, you scared me half to death!” she shot out with the same excitement filled voice. “What happened?”

  My breathing slowed to normal, allowing my mind to comprehend all the nightmarish images from my dream. Inhaling a deep breath, I sat up in the bed and positioned myself against the head board. I locked my fingers around my knees, pulling them closer to my chest. Reluctantly, my eyes lifted to Casey’s eager eyes.

  It didn’t matter if my eyes closed or not, the nightmarish monsters stood out clearly. The dream was more than just a dream. I blinked again. “It was so real.” I whispered.

  “The fog,” I began. “It settled into a fine mist upon a little country road. The smell of the fresh country air lingered about me. I walked slowly down the one lane dirt road, smelling the beautiful flowers along the way. The noise of rustling leaves came from the dark and dreary forest to my right. To my left, a beautiful meadow came into view, with its abundance of pink blossoms and clover grass. A wooden fence separated the meadow from the road. On the hill, I saw an old tree; it looked like a maple tree. A gentle breeze blew, causing the rope that hung from the tree to swing.

  “In the distance, a dark shadow of a man stood. Still too far ahead of me, I couldn’t determine who he was. My eyes couldn’t focus on the person in front of me. Suddenly, a branch cracked, making me turn toward the forest where a man appeared from out of the woods.

  “I’m sorry. Did I frighten you?’ the man asked. ‘ It was truly not my intention.’ The mysterious man had a mysterious and dark appearance, looking into his eyes was like looking into the heart of death. His German accent caught my attention, although he spoke clear English, it was difficult to understand him.

  “‘ May I walk with you?’ he asked.”

  Casey’s lips pressed together, preparing for the rest of the horrifying story. She looked nervous as I continued with the dream.

  “Yes. Do you know who the man is up ahead?’ I pointed to the figure still in the road.

  “I am terribly sorry; I don’t believe I do. I can’t see that far ahead.’ I looked into the stranger’s face, contemplating the fact he might be able to read my mind.

  “‘ Many years ago, as legend has it, a young man was traveling down this road and the devil appeared to him from the woods. The young man inquired as to the devil’s intentions. The devil wished to make a bargain with the young man. The young man had just lost his young bride. She was found hanging in that tree over there.’ He pointed a finger toward the tree where the rope was dangling. ‘She was hanged for being a witch.’ He continued. ‘ A powerful woman who was married to one of the local townsmen despised the girl. She claimed the girl was a witch and put a spell on her husband to make him lust after her. She became so jealous with rage; she called a town meeting and declared the young woman a witch. The townspeople were enraged. A few followers gathered together, took the girl that night, and hanged her in that tree. They then burned her body. The young man, now blinded with grief over the loss of his new bride, in his heart sought revenge. He made a pact with the devil so that he might avenge his wife’s death. In doing so, his own soul was cursed for eternity, as well as his bloodline, to walk upon the face of the earth as not only a man, but also a beast. Taking the curse upon himself, he murdered all that took his bride from him.’’”

  I inhaled a deep breath and continued the dream. “My eyes returned to the stranger ahead, moving closer I realized it was my father. I bolted into a run toward him, flinging my arms around his neck. He caught me, returned the embrace and then took a step back from me. The expression on his face told me that something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. I tried to search his eyes for the answer, but only saw the shimmer of moonlight as if reflected into his eyes. Chills ran up my back, fear gripped my heart and I took a step backwards.

  “Suddenly, the day turned into night, and the moon was above us. My father had a look of fear on his face. He opened his mouth and carefully spoke one word. ‘Lycan.’

  “Goosebumps covered my arms, warning me of the fear I saw in my father’s eyes. The hair on the back of my neck prickled on its ends when I heard the heavy breathing behind me. I glanced over my shoulder. Standing behind me, no more than a few feet, was a monster, a demon of some sort. Something in your wildest dreams you would never have imagined existed. Its eyes glistened when it blinked at me. I tried to scream, but my throat locked up dry and tight. The only thing I could think about was to run. As I ran, I heard something burst from the bushes behind me. It was another one of these creatures. I glanced over my shoulder to see its head turning to me. I tripped and fell. The one leaped at t
he other that was chasing me. I scrambled to my feet and ran.”

  I stopped and closed my eyes again. The image of the angry eyes of the first wolf remained clearly in my mind. I opened my eyes, holding my breath as I noticed Casey’s wide eyes and the color drained from her face.

  “What does this mean?” I whispered.

  “I … ” She tried to find her words. “I’m not sure? A werewolf?” Casey shook her head. “You don’t even like scary movies.”

  “My dad?” I trailed off into another thought.

  The expression on her face changed. One of the same remorse I saw on Charlotte’s face last night. “Julie,” she began, “I know this is hard for you. I know how close you were to your dad. How close we all were to him.” she paused again trying to find the right words. “His funeral is going to be tomorrow. My parents have arranged a wake tonight. You know how our fathers do things. All flamboyant.” She rolled her eyes and waved her hands in the air. “But if… ”

  The box I had tightly closed tried to open. I drew a slow breath, pressing firmly down on the box full of emotions. There was no delicate way of saying my father was gone.

  “Casey,” I tried to make my voice as calm and assuring as I could. “I’m okay. I will make it through this. I just need to stay… ” How could I explain this part of my little box to her? I looked down at my hands and closed them together. Her hand reached over and touched mine.

  “I understand. You need not say anything more,” she smiled. “It will be okay. I will be there. You know my family is your family.”

  “I know.” A genuine smile of appreciation crossed my lips. She was truly more of a sister than a best friend. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too. We all do,” she said. “I need to run home and pick up more clothes. Do you want to go with me?”

  Just the thought of being alone for a while would be a perfect break. “No, go ahead. It will be a good time for me to collect my thoughts. You know, preparation.”