Briarcliff

by Lorraine Beaumont

  “I won’t hurt you,” he said as if reading my thoughts.

  I didn’t believe him. “Okay.”

  He exhaled and shook his head like he knew I was lying. A lock of his dark hair fell forward. “What’s your name?”

  “What’s your name?” I asked, warily.

  His brow lifted. “I asked you first.”

  “So.”

  He laughed. It was just a breath of a laugh but it made shivers race over my skin.

  Not moving any closer, he shoved his hands in his pockets. “So,” he said. “You want to tell me why you just attacked me?”

  “Not really,” I admitted, feeling stupid suddenly.

  “Why not?”

  Because you’ll think I’m crazy, I wanted to say but didn’t. Instead, I gave him a noncommittal shrug.

  “Come on,” he coaxed. “You can tell me.” He had a deep voice. It was strangely melodic and captivating at the same time.

  “Something got me.” I rubbed one of the sore spots on my head. There was a lump above my ear under my hair and it hurt to touch it.

  “What got you?” His eyes glittered strangely with interest.

  “How do I know? It was dark,” I lied, not wanting to say what I thought it was.

  “Let me see if I got this straight...” His lips twitched like he was biting back a laugh.

  Was he laughing at me? A surge of irritation shot through me. “Go ahead,” I deadpanned.

  “You were sitting here…” he pointed to the stair, “and something just…got you?”

  “Well, yeah.” Fine, hearing him say it out loud made me realize how stupid I sounded.

  “For no reason?” he asked sounding more curious than accusing at this point.

  “I’m sure it had a reason,” I told him.

  “What might that be?”

  “Maybe it wanted to eat me for dinner,” I mumbled dejectedly.

  He chuckled lightly and shook his head. “You always like this?”

  “Like what?” I asked.

  “Sarcastic.”

  “Yeah, I kind of am,” I answered honestly.

  “Good to know.” He laughed again, seemingly amused by my answer.

  “What’s so funny?” I scowled at him. I had enough crap from the opposite sex tonight to last me a lifetime.

  “You…me…this…” He swept his hand through the air.

  “I don’t get what you’re trying to say.” I didn’t even know who the heck he was. Even though I was glad he showed up because it was a heck of a lot better than being alone.

  “Yeah…” His lips twitched. “I didn’t think you would.”

  “Whatever.” I frowned and picked at my nail polish.

  “Hey,” he said and dipped his head down.

  I looked up.

  “I…” he trailed off. His eyes locked with mine and for a moment, I was finding it hard to take a breath let alone form a coherent thought. He seemed familiar. Like I might have met him before but I knew I hadn’t.

  He broke eye contact first and swiped his hand through his hair. “This is harder than I thought.”

  “What is harder?” I asked feeling even more confused than before. Maybe I had a concussion. God knows my body hurt like hell, and so did my head so maybe I wasn’t too far off the mark.

  He shook his head, like he didn’t know what to say and turned away from me.

  I looked him over. He was tall, with dark hair that barely touched the top of his shoulders and he was wearing a Led Zeppelin t-shirt, with the naked man with wings that everyone reproduced now, but was not anywhere near as cool as the original ones. This one looked authentic and I couldn’t help but wonder where he got it from. It fit his muscular chest snugly, which made the winged man look even larger than normal. His jeans were faded and shredded at the knees, and he was sporting a pair of black high-top Chuck Taylors, Originals, just like lame Colton wore. And, he was really good-looking, which is such a generic sounding description but how did you describe someone who was so different from anyone you knew, so there was no comparison. I couldn’t even think of an actor or musician that I thought came close to how good looking I thought this guy was. I mean, he was even better looking than Colton, and that was saying something since I always thought he was as close to perfection as you could get.

  Scratch that.

  I didn’t want to think about stupid Colton right now or ever again.

  He began pacing. His long strides quickly covered the space of the foyer before he turned and headed in the opposite direction. He reminded me of a caged animal. Like how tigers prowl back and forth at the zoo, or lions that are caged. He stopped right in front of me again.

  I forced my eyes back to his and my breath hitched in my chest.

  “Do you mind if I sit next to you for a moment?”

  “I guess not.” I moved over to make room for him. Once he sat down next to me, he somehow seemed even bigger than he had standing. My heart went into overdrive, thumping rapidly. Nervously, I pulled at the string on the carpet. It started to unravel. I dropped it and placed my hands in my lap.

  It was too quiet.

  A lone cricket hoped by and but didn’t make any noise. The only thing I could hear was my heart thumping wildly in my chest.

  Turning slightly, I tried to look at him without him noticing. He was already staring right at me with a strange look on his face. I somehow forgot to breathe.

  Not able to turn away, stared right back at him.

  “Why are you here?” he said quietly and once again, his dark eyes glittered under the dim lights.

  “I’m here for the party…” My brow creased. “Wait…aren’t you here for the party too?”

  “Sure,” he said as he sat forward and rubbed his hands over his thighs.

  “So how’d you get here?” Not that I cared, really, but at least it was something to say. “I didn’t hear a car.”

  “I didn’t come here…in a car.”

  “You walked?” There was no way in hell I would have walked down that drive in the dark.

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “Did someone drop you off at the top of the road or something?”

  “Sure,” he said and his lips twitched upward.

  “Oh.” His smile was unnerving and my stomach did that funky-flip thing again.

  “So…” He leaned forward and propped his chin on his hand. “Are you going to tell me your name?”

  “What’s my um…” My mind blanked.

  “Name?” he asked again, and then he smiled.

  It wasn’t a normal smile. On him, it was more of a heart-stopping smile. I knew this because my heart seemed to have stopped. I shook myself. “Evie,” I told him finally, not because I really wanted to since I didn’t even know him but more like I didn’t have a choice in the matter. I felt like I had to tell him, which was just weird.

  “Evie,” he repeated, like he was trying my name on for size. “I like your name…Evie.”

  The way he said my name made my stomach flip again. Of course it may have had more to do with the way he was looking at me than the way he said my name.

  “Thanks.” I nervously tugged on my jacket. “So what’s your…”

  “What happened to you?” he cut me off before I could finish.

  I pressed my lips firmly together, and made a locking gesture with my fingers.

  “Come on,” he coaxed again and his eyes flashed again.

  “Nope,” I refused, even though it was hard to deny that face. I felt like I had to tell him, just like when I told him my name. “You’ll think I’m crazy.”

  “I promise, I won’t think you’re crazy.”

  A cold sweat broke out on my skin. “It’s hot, right?” I plucked at the front of my jacket. It felt like the sun was beating down against me suddenly.

  He shrugged. “Not to me.”

  Of course he wasn’t. He was probably the only reason I was sweating bullets right now.

  “What can it hurt?”r />
  “Fine,” I partially groaned as my stern minute of refusal flew right out the door. “I will tell you, but it’s out-there,” I warned. “I mean, really, out-there. So don’t judge. Got it?”

  “Got it,” he agreed. A dimple appeared on the left side of his cheek when he smiled.

  Suddenly, I had an overwhelming urge to touch his face, to see if his skin felt as smooth as it looked. Not meaning to, I lifted my hand towards his face.

  His eyes flickered, but he didn’t move. “Evie…”

  Realizing what I was about to do, I jerked my hand back and balled it in my lap. “What?”

  “You can begin anytime…”

  “Right…sorry.” I cleared my throat. I was going to lie. “I think a statue of a gargoyle came to life and attacked me.” As soon as I said the words, I slapped my hand over my mouth, not believing I had just said that out loud.

  “A gargoyle?” His dark brows hitched up a notch.

  “Yeah, it was gross.” I couldn’t believe I said that either.

  His face went completely blank and then he choked on a cough or a laugh, I couldn’t tell which. “Gargoyles are gross?” he repeated, seeming to have a hard time swallowing what I told him.

  “I know it’s crazy, right?”

  “Yes.” He shook his head.

  “See, that’s why I didn’t want to tell you.”

  “It’s not that,” he tried to explain.

  “Then what?” I had to ask.

  “I don’t think you want to know.”

  “I don’t get what you are trying to say.” Flustered, I threw my hands up.

  “Me neither.” He threw his hands up.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “Are you copying me?”

  “No.”

  “Why don’t I believe you?”

  He shrugged indifferently and then smiled.

  “You’re bad,” I said, smiling now too. He was obviously teasing me.

  “So I’ve been told.” This time he didn’t smile and a shiver of unease swept over me.

  He sat forward and braced his arms on his legs. “How’d you get away?”

  “Luck, I guess.” I lifted my shoulders. “I don’t really know.” I turned more toward him. “One minute it was dragging me down these stairs and the next it was gone, and when you walked in well…” I gave him a sheepish look and nervously tucked my hair behind my ears. “I thought it was coming back to finish me off, but it was you instead, so…ah, you know, sorry…again.”

  He waved off my apology. “Why do you think it was the gargoyle?”

  “Because there was a big statue of one right here,” I explained and pointed beside the stairs at the bare spot on the checkered tiles. It was much lighter and cleaner than the rest of the floor. And of course, I left out the part where I had been talking to it. “It was here before I was attacked,” I told him with conviction even though I was sure he didn’t believe me. I couldn’t blame him. “And see…” I pointed back to the spot. “He’s gone now.”

  An amused look flitted over his face. “Why are you calling it a he and not an it?”

  “I don’t know.” I shrugged. “I guess it looked like a he, to me.” I frowned even though he seemed to be taking my outlandish story in stride, which was just weird.

  “How’d you get here?”

  “My friends dropped me off.” I didn’t mention jerkwad Colton. What would be the point.

  “Are they coming back for you?”

  “Who?” My mind blanked again.

  “Your friends.” He looked uneasily around the room, like he heard something that I didn’t.

  “I guess they will show up at some point.” My body jerked when the door creaked. Pulling my jacket tighter, I looked back at him. He was now leaning back and looking above our heads.

  I leaned back too, and looked up. Stairways were on both sides of the foyer, one after another, that went to who knew where. “What do you think is up there?” When he didn’t answer, I looked at him and once again he was staring at me. My heart jumped into double time.

  “What am I going to do with you?” he asked, but it didn’t seem like he was asking me but rather himself.

  “Ah…”

  “Did you say something?” He gave me a pointed look.

  “No, but you did,” I told him.

  “What did I say?” He looked like he didn’t believe me.

  “You said you didn’t know what you were going to do with me.” My skin prickled.

  “No.” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t have said that.”

  “You just did,” I argued.

  “I doubt it.” He lifted his arm. “You must be hearing things.” He stretched his arm out further and I noticed the crazy looking tattoo on the inside of his left forearm. It looked burned-embedded into his skin instead of inked on the top. Small welts rose on each line, like scars. It was a deep, blackish color. I suddenly wished I had my sketchpad and pencils so I could draw the pattern. It would not be an easy design to tattoo, especially with the raised lines. Not thinking, I leaned closer to get a better look.

  “What are you doing?” He jerked back away from me.

  Instinctively, I jerked back too and fell against the banister. “Um, I was looking at your tattoo.”

  “Why?” His brows creased and his expression turned severe.

  “Because it’s different and….”

  “Different is an understatement,” he muttered before I finished.

  “What?” I said just to see if he would repeat himself but I was sure I had already heard him. I couldn’t help but wonder why he said it was an understatement.

  “Listen…” He angled his body and turned toward me more fully. “I need to tell you something.”

  “Oh—kay,” I said slowly as a shiver of unease shot through me.

  “It would probably be easier if I showed you, though.” He stood and held out his hand.

  Not sure why I was even doing it, I reached out and grabbed hold of his hand. Instantly, a flash of heat spread up my arm as he pulled me easily to my feet.

  “Come on.” He tugged on my hand.

  Not expecting his strength, I stumbled forward and smashed up against his hard-muscled body. He smelled…different. It was a strange combination of lingering remnants of cologne and something unidentifiable… headier. It drew me in and I stepped closer as the very air became charged. It was as though time had stopped and I was caught in the moment, unable to do anything but feel.

  “I’m sorry.” He let go of me and took a deliberate step away.

  The moment he stepped away, I felt so many things at once I wasn’t sure which craptastic emotion took precedence over the others. Scotty’s voice from Star Trek echoed in my mind like a loudspeaker: ‘Oh nooo Captain, she’s been hit…again. She can’t take much more of this or we’re going ta have ta shut her down.’ “Did I do something wrong,” I heard myself asking like a pathetic little peon.

  “Oh Evie,” he exhaled and scrubbed his hands over his face. “No, you haven’t done anything wrong. It’s me…” he trailed off.

  O-migod! He was giving me the “It’s not you, it’s me” speech. I felt sick. Embarrassed, I cast my eyes to my feet, mentally gathering the decorations for the pity party I was getting ready to throw myself. I would need a crown emblazoned with the word “Rejected” and…

  “Evie…”

  I looked up at him and once again my breath caught in my throat.

  “I…” He shook his head and exhaled sharply. A mask of uncertainty and something deeper, more alarming, etched across his beautiful face. “You need to leave…or… say something …anything…”

  “Ah…” I drew a blank again.

  “Please….”

  “Neerg,” I blurted stupidly.

  A confused look came over his face but then it changed and he almost smiled.

  “I spell words backward in my head when I am nervous, mostly colors,” I explained, feeling like an idiot.

  “Backwards hmm?” Hi
s lips twitched. “Interesting.”

  “Not really.”

  This time he did smile. “Come on.” This time he didn’t grab my hand, but instead walked out the door.

  Shoving my shaking hands into my pockets, I followed him outside. The air was sharp, crisp, with the kind of chill that took your breath away. Burrowing my face down in my jacket, I looked at him, waiting, for who knew what, but it seemed like the thing to do.

  “See the moon?” He pointed upward.

  “Yeah.” I looked up. A strange blue hue spread out from the moon and seemed to grow in size the longer I stared at it. Pulling my eyes away, I looked back at him not sure what he expected me to say. It was just the moon.

  “Don’t you notice the color?”

  “Well, yeah, it’s kind of hard to miss.” What was the big deal about that?

  “Don’t you think the color is strange?” He turned toward me again.

  “Not really.” I shrugged. “The moon does take on strange colors sometimes. I never pay much attention to it.”

  “Well you should.” He was adamant.

  “Why?”

  “Because that’s how they know it’s time.”

  “Time for what?” I was completely lost.

  “To come…here,” he said, as though that explained everything.

  I stared at him. The moon’s illumination made his outline glow and his skin look smooth, like stone.

  “Why are you looking at me like that?” His brows creased.

  “You look like an alien,” I whispered.

  His eyes glittered strangely. “I’m not an alien, Evie,” he assured me.

  Then what are you? I wanted to ask because in that moment he didn’t look human.

  “I am a …”

  His voice sounded like it was coming from the end of a very long tunnel. Darkness crept out of the corners of my mind…and closed in on me. My vision narrowed and my legs gave out.

  “Evie!” He grabbed me before I hit the ground.

  “Hey, you okay?” He pushed my hair away from my face.

  His face slowly came back into focus but his outline still glowed strangely. “Sorry, I just…”

  “Don’t be,” he cut me off again.

  What is wrong with me? Maybe I did have a concussion and it was making me see things that weren’t real. Like him…my sick mind chided. I swallowed hard and swiped my hand across my face. Beads of sweat were on my forehead even though it was cold. “I’m fine, promise. I just got dizzy.” I dumped out another lie. His body was really warm and once again my eyes were drawn to his face. There was such a look of raw intensity in his eyes, they enraptured me. I felt like I was an insignificant speck and I was being pulled forward, like the sun did with planets that got to close.