by K. E. Radke
A nervous giggle comes out. “It seems colder than usual. Maybe I should have gotten a coffee to bring with me.” She pulls away and seems relieved I let her.
Thoughtfully, I say, “This is the perfect place. The darkness eats everything out here. Nothing to see but the reflection of the moonlight on the water.” Stopping abruptly, I admire the view I’ve seen thousands of times.
The demon inside me flares to life at the same time I bend over to take off my socks and shoes.
“What are you doing?” she asks with a flirtatious tone. We’re a few feet apart, the distance gives her a sense of control. She’s one of the braver ones. Most of my victims use this as an opportunity to find an excuse to go back the way we came.
Sometimes they don’t take advantage of the head start.
“It should be a crime to walk along the beach in shoes. And I think you’ll run faster without them.”
“Are we running anytime soon?” She’s staring at her sneakers and looks up as I pull my shirt over my head.
The fabric covers my face and I throw it playfully at her—probably faster than humanly possible—so she can’t see the unleashed demon ready devour her life source.
Bubbly laughter springs out of her, and she stands still for a few seconds. “If I pull this off will your pants still be intact?” Not waiting to finish the question, the shirt is already slipping down her face. Her flirtatious giggling is cut short, and a scream is stuck in her throat. Her wide eyes can’t comprehend what she’s witnessing.
My reflection glows in her eyes. Red pools of fire stare at her inside a face I barely recognize. White papery skin with giant, jagged battle scars, crisscrossing over my face. The biggest one sliced from my left cheek, over my mouth, and stops right before it reaches my neck.
Down my forehead, shooting out of my hairline are two identical, angular arches of rippled skin. Both cut right in the middle of my eyebrows ending above my eyes.
Absolute terror emits in waves from her, and I happily drown in them. Sand sprays against my legs as she turns to run. I’m in her path before she has a chance to speed off. She plows right into me. She lands hard on her back and rolls onto her stomach to lift herself up. Gasping for air, she crawls on her hands and feet, trying to find balance on the sand.
A strangled scream pierces the silence between ragged breaths as I take one step forward. Finally upright, her feet take off running down the beach without a direction in mind. Distance is the only thing she wants between us.
I soak in her fear and take my time before I thwart her escape again. She slams into my chest before she knows I’m there, and I swiftly wrap my arms around her, trapping her limbs at her sides. There’s a slight moment where we stand motionless in a one-sided embrace. Just another couple on the beach.
A blood-curdling scream interrupts the rushing waves. Music to my ears. Her fear ripples over me in layers and I inhale it like a warm-cooked meal, savoring the scent.
Blood pumps madly through her veins, I can feel her heart pounding against my cold chest. Thirst ravages my throat while she squirms against me. Shifting one arm around her waist, I hold her tight and turn her around so she can watch the waves brush the shore. I gently sweep all her hair to one side of her head, baring her neck.
A low, satisfied growl rumbles deep in my gut and she whimpers. “Please let me go. I promise—.”
“Ssh, my darling,” I say soothingly and slowly trace her neck with my finger. Such soft delicate skin. “Let the ocean take you far away from here.”
In one movement, I dip her in my arms, force her head to one side and sink my teeth into her neck. The gut-wrenching screams wane, and her body droops in my arms like a swooning woman.
Dropping to my knees, I lay her gently on the sand and give the image of two lovers on the beach to any passerby. Too hungry to enjoy the delectable meal, I drain her body’s life source quicker than usual. A sea breeze brushes over us the moment her heart stops and I relinquish my lips from her neck.
“I’d love to stay but,” my fingers tenderly caress Rica’s pale, lifeless face, “it’s time for me to go play with your friend.”
Chapter 5
Rowan
A silver knife is in my hand before I think about taking it out. My pulse skitters across the surface of my skin with a burst of adrenaline. Bending out of the shadows, el Cucuy forms in front of me and I want to curse him back into the abyss.
He has the worst timing.
The knife goes back in the sheathe strapped to my ankle. “I told you not to do that.”
“I wouldn’t be very good at my job if I didn’t.” The General stays hidden right on the edge of the light pouring in from the street.
“Amelia, this is the General. General meet—.” I’m cut off.
“I know who she is.”
Amelia’s fingers tightly grasp my arm. Wide with fear, her eyes flit from me to the General. “Did he—?”
“No, I did not,” the General interrupts her.
She’s assessing the assassin with a bewildered expression. Absorbing his weird nature and all the black clothes in the high humidity and heat. Opening my mouth, I want to say something to ease the fear and tension el Cucuy brings wherever he goes, but I can’t think of anything, so I shut it and let her form her own opinion. If she runs away, maybe it’ll be for the best. I really hope she doesn’t run away.
“You don’t even know what I was about to ask,” she insists in a defensive tone. All the bravery in her voice doesn’t hide the fact that her nails are digging into my arm and I flinch. She glances at her hand and eases her grip.
“I did not attack you earlier,” the General answers automatically.
So far, so good. She hasn’t run screaming in the other direction.
“The General keeps a lookout. For-uh, strange occurrences. He has a thorough routine. It’s how we found you earlier,” I interject quickly and shield her from him. I mouth go away but he doesn’t budge and tilts his head. It’s the only way I know he’s watching me. The only human gesture I’ve seen him capable of.
“How did you know I was attacked?” she queries, sounding angrier.
“Because I saw it,” the General admits without shame.
His honesty will be the death of me. I can’t get him to say more than two words when we’re alone, simmering in awkward silence. Sometimes he deliberately vanishes when I enter a room. But today, he decides to be friendly—or what I assume is friendly according to him. He can’t hide in the shadows and pretend I don’t exist. The one time I need him to disappear, he’s invited himself to our—something.
Amelia shrinks against the brick wall, and I can hear every breath as she contemplates the new information. The only thing I can do is keep a placid expression and make sure my movements aren’t hasty. El Cucuy embodies every horror story parents warn their kids about.
“Why are you following me?” Amelia’s voice trembles and sounds weak.
“It’s what I do,” the General says and sinks further into the shadows.
“Can you stop talking?” I direct the request to the General and gaze down at her with a sigh. “The General is harmless. He’s one of the good guys. Can you trust me on that?” It’s the only answer I can give her without inviting her into the supernatural world. The tension between us is palpable, and I can already tell she’s not taking my word for anything.
“I don’t understand. You’re all working together? Is this whole thing some kind of sick joke?” She cringes away from me.
Slowly, so I don’t startle her, I set the purse down by her side and retreat to the opposite wall. Leaning back in a relaxing position to give her some space, I begin, “What if I told you—.”
The General hisses, “It is a mistake to tell her.”
My head whips in his direction with a violent glint in my eyes because he’s a chatty little monster tonight. There’s a warning in my voice as I make the accusation. “And who’s fault is that? All you had to do was keep your distance.”
El Cucuy finally disappears, swallowed by the dark. All the hair on my arms stand straight up. I glance down at Amelia, watching her eyes flicker over the empty sidewalk. She doesn’t feel safe anymore. All signs point to her running as far as she can get from me.
And I should let her.
Instead, my stupid mouth opens. “Something attacked you today. It was not a normal man,” I begin, recouping her attention. “I think you know that, and you’re trying to rationalize all the little things you can’t explain. But the General kinda ruined it.” Breathe. Maybe I can salvage this—whatever it is.
Who am I kidding? She needs to run.
The tiny glimpse into my world is shattering hers.
But there’s a tiny, selfish part of me that hopes she’ll let it fall to pieces.
“What are you trying to tell me?” Her voice cuts into my thoughts. Light gleams over half her face, highlighting the wisps of black hair falling out of her messy ponytail. The curve of her lips is pursed in a determined expression to learn the truth. Her fierce eyes daring me to lie.
I want to scare the bravery out of her—tell her exactly what she wants to hear—show her what the night truly holds in the dark corners of the world. The creatures stalking the shadows, waiting for their next victim. Demons lying in wait to drag unsuspecting people into the underworld.
Our gazes lock, and I see everything I can’t have. A future filled with goals and happiness. The glow of innocence shines in her eyes. Oblivious to the haunted life that will shred hers apart the more she pulls at this paranormal thread. Living in denial is still an option, all she has to do is stop asking questions.
The corner of my mouth rises. I can’t let the truth burden her into a resigned life of paranoia every time the sun goes down. She deserves the life she planned. A life where monsters stay in scary stories to scare children.
I’ll fight the dark for her.
“Do you really want to know? Or would you rather go home? Work on getting through what happened today, so you can move on with your normal, happy life.” Jealousy works its way into my voice. It always does.
“You almost sound bitter.”
“Because I wish I had the choice to move on with a normal, happy life,” I confess and gaze at the ground to avoid eye contact.
“And where are you in my normal, happy life?” The moment the question is out of her mouth, my eyes flit to hers with curiosity. For a second, the future I shaped for her involves me in it. Something I’ve tried but failed at in the past. Something I gave up on. A familiar concept I’ve never quite understood.
Don’t do that to yourself. Imagine something you can’t have.
Exhaling sharply, my answer is direct without emotion. “I don’t exist in a normal, happy life.”
She hears something in my voice and gives me a sympathetic glance. “What if we freeze this moment in time? You can have the normal, happy life. And I—I can figure mine out.”
I want to say don’t ruin it by sitting here with me.
Something is bound to find us.
It’s only a matter of time.
Changing the subject, I ask, “Feeling better?”
Her breathing is under control, and I pretend I can’t see the hurt expression on her face. Our eyes lock in the stinky, dark alcove, prolonging our time together for a few more minutes. Neither of us willing to give in to the inevitable.
“I guess I’ll take my time getting to my car. Considering, I’m probably never going to see you again?” She makes it a question instead of a statement. “I should also let you in on a secret. I don’t actually live in this area. It just so happens I have to park really far because it’s free.”
Grabbing her purse with one hand, she holds out her other and allows me to help her up. My fingers hold on to hers a little longer than they should.
Slowly strolling down the sidewalk, she blurts out, “Are you going to ask out Maggie?”
My brows knit together in confusion at the random question. Then I realize she’s a few steps ahead of me and I’m forced to catch up to her. “Why would I ask out Maggie?
“It looked like you two were getting along.”
“By all the promising threats?” I question stunned. “The way she planned my demise in ten different ways and detailed them out was especially impressive—if you like the murdery, psychotic type.” Lowering my voice, I secretly say, “This may be a surprise, but I don’t have a death wish. I like to keep all my body parts intact.”
Completely avoiding eye contact, we move along at a snail’s pace. Amelia adds, “But she was talking about your body parts.”
“She was talking about destroying my body parts.” My hands flinch to protect sensitive areas, and I stop myself because she’s watching me.
“With her hands,” she muses, lifting her eyebrows.
“She also had this creepy smile on her face like she’d enjoy every minute of it.”
Amelia rolls her eyes like she doesn’t believe a word I’m saying.
Stepping in front of her, I walk backward so we can face each other. “You think I’m lying? You think I actively seek out women who want to torture me?”
There’s a hint of a smile she’s trying to hide. She crosses her arms. “I think Maggie is a pretty little torturer. And y’all seemed to hit it off.”
“I have another pretty girl in mind,” I murmur at the same time something pops, echoing over Sunshine Boulevard. Amelia nearly jumps into my arms. “Breathe. It’s someone’s car backfiring.” It’s an awkward embrace. Nails are digging into my arms and I gently place my hand on top of hers to pry her fingers off me. The terror on her face changes to embarrassment and she jerks away from the painful expression on my face.
Rubbing my skin, I say, “I should tell Maggie she doesn’t need to protect you.”
In a shaky voice, she points out, “You’d have to stick around to do that. And you don’t do normal, happy life.”
“Right,” I sigh in defeated agreement.
She wraps her arms around herself and continues down the sidewalk. I almost put my arm around her shoulders and let it hover in midair before thinking better of it. Stretching awkwardly, I place it back by my side and give her a roguish grin. “But I’m alive, and that’s what counts.”
Sympathy etches into her features. “That sounds like an awful way to live.”
And she’s right. Alive but nothing to look forward to.
But if I don’t fight the creatures of the underworld, who will? The responsibility has been my family’s for years. We fight them together. To confront fear and send the demons back to hell. We’re not capable of ignoring the supernatural world that lives parallel to ours.
I’ve saved hundreds of people. Those are my proudest moments. And this path brought me to her.
“There are times when it’s rough. And then there are moments when I get to save a pretty girl’s life, and it reminds me why I’m here,” my voice is soft and comes out huskier than before, and I want to hold her hand. I stick mine in my pockets and stare straight ahead.
She halts. “Okay.” I pass her and almost look back to see what’s wrong. “You are flirting with me, right?”
The bold question sends tension through my shoulders and down my back. Heat rises into my face and I don’t dare turn around to face her. The lie is on the tip of my tongue. For her sake, I should lie. But I don’t. “I am indeed, flirting with you.”
“Why? You’re not sticking around. And I’m not going to sleep with you.” She pauses for a second. “Oh God, did you think I’d sleep with you?”
It’s a question most people won’t ask. I spin around, gazing into her wide eyes and the embarrassed look on her face, and shake my head to reassure her. “No,” I reply rapidly. “I’m here to walk you home—or, well, car.
Narrowing her eyes, a small grin spread across her face. “So, if I were to ask you out on a date…” her voice trails off as my gaze snaps to hers. “Hypothetically, of course.”
Sup
pressing the smile playing at my lips, I play along with a feigned serious expression. “Of course. I would say yes. Hypothetically.”
Surprise and a blush ripple over her features.
We continue down the street and I ramble, “It would end very badly. I wouldn’t be able to give you the attention you deserve, and eventually, you’d accuse me of cheating. We’d have great make-up sex. But in the end, you’d probably key my car and break all my windows. And then I’d have to press charges and put you in jail, and I don’t want to visit you in jail.”
She cracks up laughing and wipes away the tears before they can fall. The sound makes my pulse erratic, and I let out a relieved exhale. I’m doing something right.
“But you’d visit me in jail.” She can’t hold back a grin.
“I’d definitely visit you in jail.” The corners of my mouth lift and she stops next to the oldest, beat-up Corolla I’ve ever seen.
“Thank you for walking me to my car.” We linger next to it. And I rack my brain for something else to say. Something to keep her here a little while longer.
An impressed whistle comes out of me. “Classic right here.” I nod to the vehicle.
Patting it lovingly, she says, “Classically falling apart, but it gets me from point A to point B.”
It’s time for me to go before I make the situation creepy. My hand reaches out, and she shakes it. “It was a pleasure. Remember me if anything strange happens. I’ve told the General to keep an eye on you.” Her eyes widen. “Not in a creepy way. I promise he’s there to protect you.”
Our hands are still clasped together and we both jerk them back at the same time. On the sidewalk, I watch her safely get in the car and slowly drive away.
And I wish I hadn’t.
Chapter 6
Amelia
T he second my eyes open, I check my phone for messages. Nothing. He said he wouldn’t to stick around. Honesty. Something hard to find these days. And for that reason alone, I think I like him even more.
I force my hand to toss the phone across the room. Why can’t I stop thinking about him? Maybe I should text him. Lie, and tell him something weird happened…yes, be the person you hate most in the world to impress a stupid boy. My hand reaches for my phone again until I realize the device is across the room.
