Son of Eden, a Paranormal Romance

by Brianna Merrill

“Do I have three thousand dollars?”

  Emily looked right at the man she was bidding against. He stared back at her and while holding his stare and flashing his smile, raised his hand.

  She got the message. He was toying with her. She was around enough charity auctions to know his type. He was just in it for the sport, not the actual item. He was the type that liked to win and show off his money. Emily felt the anger begin to boil inside her. Though she did not know much about the violin she knew this creep wouldn’t truly appreciate it.

  Emily immediately raised her paddle, this time not even giving the auctioneer a moment to offer a new price.

  “Five thousand dollars,” Emily said with as much confidence as she could muster. It was a bold move to interrupt the auctioneer but she had seen it done and knew it sent the signal that she was not backing down. Looking in her father’s direction she expected to see disapproval. Instead she saw a warm smile. He was quite amused with his daughter. He hadn’t seen spunk like this from her in years.

  “Six thousand dollars,” came the reply from her fellow bidder. She was starting to dislike this man even more.

  Emily had grown irritated and had had enough. “Nine thousand dollars,” she said triumphantly.

  There were a few gasps. That was a small sum of money for most in the room, but a high price for an old violin that didn’t play and didn’t come with any specific information. Emily shot her opponent a glare. The young man curled his lip into a smirk as if to say, “You want it? Fine, take it.”

  She looked back to the auctioneer, anxious for him to finish the bidding.

  “Well, we have nine thousand dollars from the competitive young lady in red. Do we have anyone who will dare challenge her?” The room stayed silent as the auctioneer continued.

  “I have nine thousand, nine thousand going once.” The auctioneer glanced at the young man in the tux. “Going twice…nine thousand going three times… sold to the beautiful young lady in front.”

  The room applauded. Some people tried to hide their chuckles, others did not.

  Rob leaned over. “Nine thousand is a lot for a busted violin.”

  “Then it’s a good thing my father taught me how to invest at a young age,” Emily shot back with a little edge in her voice.

  Her father came over at a brisk pace showcasing a big grin. She was glad to see him smiling. His round brown eyes showed his approval. He embraced her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, tickling her with his moustache.

  “Well looks like you found yourself quite the treasure,” her father boomed.

  “Doesn’t look like much of a treasure to me.” Rob laughed.

  Before Emily could say something her father responded ever so gently.

  “Oh, just because something might not look impressive doesn’t mean it doesn’t hold incredible worth. An object only receives its true value from the one who cares the most about it. And, I would say my Emily, for some reason, really cares about this violin. So in my mind that makes it a treasure.”

  “Thanks Daddy.” Emily nuzzled in closer to his embrace. “I was afraid you were wondering what on earth I was doing with my money, it’s a lot to be spending.” She blushed a bit and hoped it wasn’t noticeable. Usually her olive-colored skin did a good job of hiding her chagrin.

  “This is one of the best places to spend your money. It will go to those families who need all the help they can get. I couldn’t be more proud.” He gave her another tight squeeze.

  “Well if you don’t mind, all that excitement kinda wore me out. I think I’m ready to collect my violin and go home.” Emily was being truthful. She couldn’t remember the last time she had gotten so excited over something. It was almost an unfamiliar feeling to her.

  “That’s fine; it’s probably a good idea. One of the bigger items tonight is a grand piano and I would hate to see you spend your college tuition on it since you already have one at home,” her father chided.

  “Ha, ha, Dad. Very funny.”

  “Well, I’ve got to stay until the end to make sure things go smoothly, but I don’t like the idea of you walking home alone.” Her father glanced at Rob. “Rob I would appreciate it if you could escort Emily back to our apartment.”

  Emily knew that Rob was more than happy to carry out her father’s request.

  “Dad you can’t be serious. We live two buildings over.” She motioned in the direction of their home. “It’s like a total of twenty steps; I think I can handle myself.”

  Rob wasn’t about to lose his opportunity. “I don’t know; someone might want to steal that old violin. I think you should listen to your father.”

  Her father laughed. “Thanks Rob. I’ll see you at the office on Monday.” He turned to Emily. “Goodnight sweetie, I’ll see you in the morning.” Her father gave her a quick kiss on the forehead and then walked away. He had left no time for further protests.

  Emily was grateful the walk was short, though Rob insisted he drop her off at her apartment instead of the lobby. She had her key in hand, anxious to put some distance between her and her escort. But before Emily could get through the door Rob dropped the bomb she was dreading.

  “So I thought that maybe next Saturday I could take you out for lunch.”

  Emily’s mind was racing. “What do I say?” “Don’t you think you’re a little old for me?” she responded, a little hesitant.

  “You make it sound like I’m some old fart. I just turned twenty-two and you’ll be nineteen in September, I don’t think it’s that much of a difference.” Rob shrugged, confident enough to keep pressing.

  “I guess what I meant,” Emily rethought her strategy, “is that I’m still in high school. Doesn’t that seem awkward to you? Besides, what will my dad think?”

  “Actually I’ve already spoken to your father. He’s fine with it as long as we keep it casual; you know, nothing serious or heavy, at least not until you graduate.”

  That made Emily’s head spin. “Not until I graduate! Have he and Daddy already planned out how many kids we are going to have? This is nuts!” She really didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but she just wasn’t interested.

  “I’ll check my schedule and let you know, okay?” It was the best she could come up with.

  “Sounds good to me,” Rob replied with pent enthusiasm. “It was good seeing you tonight, Emily. You looked stunning, as always.”

  “Thanks Rob. It was good to see you too; I’ll call you about Saturday.” Emily was now using the door as a barrier between her and Rob.

  “Enjoy that violin of yours. Goodnight.” Rob turned and walked away with a little bounce in his step.

  Emily closed the door, relieved that the embarrassing encounter was over. She went to her room and put the violin down on the nightstand next to her bed. She hadn’t realized when she bid on it that it came with a case.

  “That’s nice,” she thought. “Hopefully that will keep the dust away.”

  It surely wouldn’t be getting much use. Emily didn’t know the first thing about playing the violin. Either way, she felt as though tonight was a victory. She was impressed with how determined and aggressive she was. Tonight she caught a glimpse of the girl she once knew herself to be. The violin was worth the fight; it really was beautiful to her, and the wear marks told a story, she was certain.

  Knowing a hot bath would help with her aching feet, Emily slipped out of the long silk evening gown that gracefully draped her body the past few hours. She had never been thrilled with wearing high heels; her arches were protesting the activities of the night. She tossed her shoes toward the closet not wanting to exert the effort it would take to put them away.

  The bath was just what she needed. She felt so relaxed; she almost fell asleep in the tub. When she mustered the strength to get out, she knew she would be lucky to make it to her bed. Tired and groggy, Emily slipped into a t-shirt and pair of shorts, not even bothering to dry her hair. Lifting her down comforter she slipped in between the sheets. The soft padding beneath her bec
koned to every inch of her body and she reached for the lamp on her nightstand. She was about to turn out the light but stopped as her eyes landed on the violin.

  While keeping focused on the case she slowly sat up. Removing the violin she gently traced her finger up and down each string. Emily flipped it over, rubbing her hand along the wood. Her fingers found the small black letters on the bottom left side of the violin.

  “So odd,” she thought. “I wonder what the letters stand for.”

  She gave the instrument one last look and placed it back in the case. She turned off the lamp and sunk down deep into her pillow. It wasn’t long until the tranquil feeling of sleep took over her body. She slept peacefully that night. Instead of old memories haunting her, Emily’s dreams were filled with the rich, soft music of a violin.

  Chapter 2

  * * *

  Attack

  Monday at school Emily had a hard time listening to Candice talk about how cute Seth Davis was. She did care about what Candice had to say; she loved her. She was the only person at school Emily could honestly call her friend. Candice was sweet and very humble. She, like most kids in the school, came from a wealthy family. What made her so unique was that she had not given in to being superficial and obsessed with possessions. Candice’s obsession at the moment was Seth, and she relayed how stressed she was that he hadn’t asked her to the prom yet.

  “Just give him some time, it’s only the first day of February, and prom isn’t until April. He’ll ask.” Emily gave Candice a reassuring rub on the back.

  “I hope you’re right, I don’t have any back-ups and this is senior prom. You can’t miss senior prom.”

  Emily didn’t know about that. She had every intention of missing it, though she hadn’t broken the news to Candice yet.

  “So why are you so quiet today, Em? I feel like I’m just yakking and you aren’t saying anything. Is everything alright?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine. I just have a bunch of things on my mind, but nothing important.” Emily took a bite of her apple so she didn’t have to say more.

  She actually didn’t have a bunch of things on her mind; she really just had one. Emily was still contemplating what to do with the violin. Then she was struck with a brilliant idea. She would take it to a restoration shop. It seemed like it would be a waste to leave it locked up in its case even though she still had no intentions of learning to play it. The violin deserved better than that. She didn’t know its story but she couldn’t deny the odd connection she felt.

  Now her mind was occupied with where to take it. There was a big music store that specialized in sheet music just two blocks from her apartment. She had often gone there to look for her favorite classical artist Beethoven, because the store always had the best selection of his work. She knew the shop didn’t offer the service she was seeking, but maybe someone there could refer her to a place that did. Her decision was made. After school she would pick up the violin at home and then walk down to the music store. Suddenly she was pulled away from her planning.

  “Emily, Hellooo? I asked if you are going to go with Ben to prom.”

  “Uummm.”

  “Well?” Candice pressed. “It’s been two weeks since he asked you. I don’t understand why you still haven’t given him an answer.”

  “I’m not sure.” Emily was wondering if now was a good time to say she wasn’t planning on going at all.

  “This is because of Rob isn’t it?” Candice gave a sigh of longing. “I guess if I got to be around him as much as you then I would have a hard time swooning for high school boys too. He is sooo handsome and you just have to melt when he smiles at you.”

  Emily gave a little laugh. “Wow, is Candice boy crazy or what?”

  “No it isn’t because of Rob, although he did ask me out for lunch this Saturday.”

  Candice squealed with delight. “No way! Where’s he taking you?”

  “I don’t know, I didn’t exactly say yes.” Emily waited for the scolding, but surprisingly her friend kept her cool.

  “So what did you say?”

  “I said I would check my schedule.”

  Candice knew Emily never had enough on her calendar that would require her consulting it. This was an excuse and it was obvious.

  “Emily, you know I love you, but coming from a friend, you are turning into a hermit. Maybe it would be good for you to go out and remember what it’s like to socialize,” her friend explained in the sweetest voice possible.

  Candice was right.

  Emily hadn’t always been this way; she used to be such a social butterfly. She had never been afraid to start a conversation with someone she didn’t know and was up for trips to the ice cream parlor or the movies or shopping whenever the opportunity arose. All of that had changed drastically when Emily’s mother died her sophomore year in high school. After that awful experience she had retreated inside herself and she didn’t have a clue now how to escape. Emily began entertaining the idea of actually going on a date. Maybe if she just took that initial step she would find herself enjoying a social life again. Rob was a nice guy, and perhaps if she actually made an attempt to take pleasure in his company, she would be surprised.

  “Yeah. You’re right Candice. Maybe I’ll give him a call.”

  “That’s the spirit! You never know what might come from a simple lunch with a really hot guy!” Candice expressed her excitement in every syllable.

  The first bell rang, signaling that lunch was over. They only had five minutes to get to class. The girls cleaned up their lunch trays and dumped them on the way out the door.

  “So, I’ll see you in math!” Candice shouted as she headed down the hall.

  “Yeah, see ya,” Emily called out.

  As soon as school was out, Emily found herself growing more and more excited as she neared her apartment. It was nice to finally have a project to occupy her time.

  After she picked up the violin, she walked the two blocks to the old music store. The bell on the door rang as Emily walked in. The older woman behind the counter had a warm smile as she pulled her glasses down off her nose.

  “What can I help you with?” the lady asked.

  “Well, I’m not sure if you can help me or not, but this was the only place I could think of to start.” Emily walked over and put the old violin case up on the counter with a soft thump.

  “I know you only sell new instruments here, but I was hoping maybe you knew of someone who restores old ones, specifically violins.” She opened the case to reveal the instrument.

  “Well look at that, isn’t it beautiful. Is this a family heirloom or something?” The clerk questioned as she carefully examined the worn violin.

  “No, I got it at a charity auction.”

  “Are you aware that this is a 19th Century Casslyn?”

  “Yes that’s what the auctioneer said.” Emily responded.

  “Well did he also tell you that this is the gold series? You can tell by the thin gold stripe that runs down the length of the neck. There were only a thousand of these ever made,” the woman said in awe as she ran her finger along the neck of the violin.

  Emily hadn’t noticed it before but now it did seem very distinct.

  “Wow, the auctioneer didn’t have any information like that. I’m sure if he did, it would have been out of my price range.”

  “This is definitely worth a little TLC and restoration, and I know just the place.” The clerk turned around and went through the arch that led to the back room.

  Emily stood silently staring at her violin. She knew something had seemed special about this violin. Though, even with her new knowledge of how rare it was, she still didn’t feel like that was what drew her to it at the auction. There was something else, something that still captivated her about it, something that ran deeper.

  “Here we go,” the woman handed her a business card. “This is a man who owns a little instrument shop down on 85th and North Royalton. His shop isn’t anything spectacular to look at, but you
won’t find anyone in New York with a better hand for restoring instruments. His work is phenomenal. Your precious violin will be in good hands.”

  “Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.” Emily closed up the case, took the card from the lady and turned to walk away.

  “Enjoy that treasure of yours,” the clerk called out.

  That was the second person that had referred to the violin as a treasure. Emily was definitely beginning to feel that way about it as well. She immediately hailed a cab, hopped in and gave the driver the address. Emily then realized that she was headed toward her father’s dry cleaner and decided to pick up his tux for him. He had failed to get it and had ended up wearing a suit to the charity banquet. He had another event this coming Saturday and Emily knew he would once again forget to get the tux in time.

  “Excuse me. I actually have another stop to make. Would you mind taking me to Tom’s Dry Cleaning? I think it’s just two blocks south of the previous address.”

  “Sure thing.” The cab driver made a slight course correction. “Did you want me to wait at the cleaning place and then take you to the next address?”

  “No, that’s okay. It’ll only be two blocks. I can walk.”

  The cab driver shot Emily a concerned look through the rear view mirror to show his disapproval. She remembered her father had mentioned his concerns about this part of town. But she brushed it aside; her father had no shortage of worry when it came to Emily and her whereabouts.

  At that moment Emily had a thought come into her mind, almost like a voice. “Don’t walk, take the cab.” She shrugged it off. “How silly to take a cab two blocks. Besides, it was still daylight, what could happen?”

  When the cab came to a stop in front of the dry cleaners, Emily handed the driver the fare and climbed out. She entered the building, noticing how empty it was. In fact she was the only costumer. “This must be why dad uses this guy,” she thought.

  Her father always made it a point to support the small business owner. It was a soft spot for him. She noticed a short chubby man hidden in a corner behind the front desk.