Afraid in the Dark (Stalker Series Book One)

by Rita Hestand

  Maybe she was too shallow. She'd work on that.

  That bothered her now that she thought of it.

  Perhaps she hadn't been right for Brad. Or the other way around. She shrugged the feeling of emptiness away and began to pack. She quickly realized though, that she didn’t' miss Brad, she missed the relationship, having a steady fella. She was shallow!

  Melanie was just moving her stereo out of the dorm when the night manager saw her and offered to help her get it to her car.

  "Let me help you. Sure, hate to see you go. You've been here all of four years. I get kind of attached to all you girls and then you leave on me. Hard to get used to." Ed Newton said as he took the boxes from her arms and carried them to her car.

  "Time to move on," She didn't want his help, or his attachment. He had leered at her for most of the time she'd been here and he gave her the creeps.

  "What are you going to do?" He asked curiously.

  "I'm working at Mercy General here in town. I got an apartment over close to the hospital and all I need to do is get moved."

  "That's great. Maybe we'll bump into each other from time to time, then." He smiled displaying a set of yellow teeth.

  She did her best not to notice.

  "Yeah, maybe." She tried to smile.

  She didn't like Ed Newton. Although she had prided herself not to think better of herself than others, Ed was an exception. He was nosy and he was always hanging around at night. Strangely, he bothered her more than the stranger looking manager at her apartments. Why did people hire people that had such creepy persona's, she wondered?

  But she had to admit, Ed looked like a maintenance man. He had to be in his mid-forties, married and smoked all the time. She never saw him without a cigarette in his hand, even while he worked. There were stain marks on his fingers where he carried a cigarette night and day. And his teeth had obviously suffered from all that smoking.

  Had she been too judgmental? She wondered. She silently hoped that Ed would go back to his office.

  She put the stereo in her car, and now all she had to do was get her bed broke down, and her television out to the car. She could move her clothes out tomorrow.

  But the guys that used to hang out with her and Corinne had graduated too and most of them were gone. There were very few students left in the older building.

  She didn't want Ed bugging her all night though, especially since Corinne was gone. She had always managed to have Corinne around when Ed lurked about.

  She went back to her dorm room and when she was sure Ed went into his office, she snuck out and went across campus to the boy's dorm and knocked on a few doors.

  Cal Edwards was still there and he was a big guy. He was tall and muscled and vivacious. "Oh Cal, I'm so glad you are still here. I need some help breaking my bed down and moving my television out. Can you help me?"

  "Absolutely sugar, lead the way." Cal was at least six foot four, and a good two hundred and something pounds, but when it came to doing things for others, he was right there. He had a heart of pure gold and some lucky girl wouldn't know what hit her someday, Melanie thought. Why hadn't she fallen for him? Simple he was a football jock and she hated football. She tried to pretend she liked it for Brad's sake, but truth be known, she hated it. She was glad that Brad like basketball better. Brad liked all sports.

  "I'm surprised I caught anyone here."

  "Yeah only about four guys in my building are still here. The new students will be registering tomorrow and checking out the place."

  "That soon, huh?"

  "'Fraid so."

  "Well then, maybe I better get all my stuff tonight." She said.

  "Got much?"

  "No, just the bed, and bathroom stuff, the television and the clothes."

  "Tell you what, we'll get the bed broke down and the Television ready and I'll haul that in my truck. I'll tend to those while you pack up the clothes and bath stuff, how's that?"

  "You are a dear for helping me." She turned to smile at him as they came down the hallway once more to her apartment.

  Cal had very short blonde hair and crystal blue eyes that always shined with life. He wasn't bad looking in a brutish sort of way.

  "Hey, we've had some good times here, I gotta admit, and it's kinda sad moving on, but this is the reason we were here, wasn't it? Life if full of adventures." He smiled at her.

  "I love your attitude." She chuckled. "I don't know why I didn't fall in love with you, Cal." She grinned.

  "Me either, honey." He winked with a full-size grin on his face.

  Ed stuck his head out, but when he saw Cal, he went back inside with a decided frown.

  Melanie glanced at Cal. "I'm so glad to be getting away from that Ed character. He really gives me the creeps." She said as they came inside the apartment.

  Cal glanced at the office but Ed wasn't in sight now. "He been giving you some grief?"

  "Just, something about him that gives me the willies."

  "Where you gonna be working?" Cal asked as he saw her bed.

  "Over at Mercy General, can you believe it, I got a job there, starting next week." She screeched with joy. "Everyone has told me that is one hard hospital to get a job at. But I guess they liked my resume."

  "Great going. You always were a brain. I had no doubt you'd find a job right off. I mean a honor roll student, what's not to like."

  "Where are you going?" She asked noting the fast way he took her bed apart and was ready to carry it to her car.

  "Texas A&M." He smiled proudly. "I'm actually studying to be a vet, but I'm on the football team so I'm happy. Always wanted to be an Aggie."

  "You made the team?" She gleamed her voice full of excitement for him.

  "Yep, I did." He smiled proudly. "Still gonna be a vet though, so got lots more studying to do."

  "Congrats Cal. I'm so happy for you." Cal had only been here a couple of years, he'd finish at A&M, she was so glad. She put a hand on his shoulder.

  "Yeah, my dad was beside himself, that's where he went to play football." Cal beamed. "Carrying on the tradition."

  "Really, that's great. I knew you had hopes of getting in there."

  "Yeah, I'm pretty psyched. Okay, you start getting your other stuff together and I'll pull my truck around and load this?"

  "OK I'm parked by the side entrance as close to the back door as possible. You know the old Ford we used to pile in to get Pizza." She grinned. "Here's my keys., would you unlock it for me?"

  "Okay, I'll be right back." He grinned and hauled the piece of her bed out.

  When he left, he left the door open and as she was packing the towels from the bathroom, Ed walked in again.

  She didn't see or hear him.

  "Can I help you anymore?" He asked looking at her from the bathroom doorway.

  "Oh," A chill ran up her spine. She'd hadn't heard him come in. "I got Cal from over in the other dorm to help me. But thanks for offering. I'm sure you got work to do. I really didn't want to bother you."

  "No bother…you don't have much stuff." He glanced around.

  "No, not much." She tried to grin but fell short.

  Cal came back in, and nodded to Ed, then went for the mattress.

  Melanie wished he had stayed with her, but no one seemed quite as spooked as Melanie with Ed. It was partly the way he looked at her. As though he were undressing her. It gave her the creeps. Maybe most men were that way that were over thirty. She'd never noticed before.

  He didn't leave, instead he just stood there watching her every move.

  "Corinne already left?" He asked.

  "Yeah, I want to get everything out of here before the new students start looking the rooms over." She explained.

  He nodded, but kept staring.

  He wasn't staring at the towels, or what she was doing, he was staring at her, blatantly. She had an old pair of jeans on and a t-shirt. She looked pretty rag-tag, she wondered why he bothered.

  Cal came back inside for the box springs. "I think I
might need you for that." He told her.

  "Sure." Melanie was grateful that he needed her.

  Ed walked off, "If you need my help, you know where to find me."

  "Yes, thanks." Melanie nodded. "I do appreciate the offer."

  "I can see why he gives you the creeps." Cal said when the tied the box springs onto the top of her car along with the mattress. "I'll follow you in my truck. Want me to set this bed up for you so you'll have a place to sleep tonight?"

  "Would you mind? I mean, I know it's a lot to ask, but I'd so like to get my bed up tonight." She was smiling. "And I'll buy you some supper."

  "Not at all, kiddo. I see you are a little upset with the guy. And I am hungry."

  "Just glad to be getting out of here."

  "Has he ever bothered you before?"

  "No, not really. Staring at me mostly. It's the way he stares that has me spooked. And it's all the time. He's in his thirties or forties and someone said he's married. He shouldn't be looking at girls my age like that."

  "Well, men look no matter what age, darlin'. You probably won't see him again after you are moved." Cal told her. "You gotta expect it, kiddo, you are a cute girl, and a lot of guys are going to look. No harm in looking you know. As long as they don't act on it."

  "Not the way I look tonight. I look awful. But, I hope you are right." Melanie said but something in the back of her mind bothered her. She wasn't far enough away from Ed. That was it!

  Why did he spook her so?

  She wasn't at all sure why he bothered her. He'd never approached her or tried to touch her in any way, it was just those blatant stares he gave her.

  After two trips, they were done. She'd bought Cal's supper and offered to return the favor when he moved, but Cal said he'd have plenty of help.

  She'd calmed down now and realized she was probably exaggerating Ed's interest in her. She'd always spooked easy and maybe she read people wrong.

  "Thanks for all your help Cal. I couldn't have done it alone." She hugged him.

  They had stopped to pick up the pizza too, before she took him back to his dorm and where he left his truck.

  Cal had stayed long enough to put up her bed for her and look at her new apartment, and she was so grateful. They sat down and rested a minute and ate the pizza. He assured her she had found a good location considering the hospital was only blocks away.

  "Yeah, I was lucky, this was the only apartment they had."

  "There you go, God takes care of his own." Cal smiled.

  She agreed. "I don't know what I'd done without you, tonight though."

  As he finished the pizza he glanced at his watch. "It's getting late, I better get so you can do whatever you got to do before bedtime. Listen, take care of yourself, and if I'm ever this way again, I'll be sure and look you up." Cal told her and hugged her.

  She smiled. "I'd like that Cal."

  But as she was pulling out of the parking lot of the dorm, a car followed her almost all the way to her apartments. It was an older car, a black Cadillac with dark shaded windows. Was she letting her imagination get to her again? She glanced in her rear-view mirror again, and saw the car turn off just before she came to her apartments. She pulled in and sighed. She had to get control of herself. She was shaking.

  Probably just someone headed in the same direction, she reasoned. No use getting so spooked.

  She shrugged it off, and as soon as she was back in her apartment, she double locked her doors and checked her windows. Being on the third floor, no one would climb up to her windows, but she felt safer by making sure they were locked. There was, after all, a fire escape.

  She double locked her doors, and sighed. She glanced around the apartment again. She didn't hear any noises on the sides of her apartment or from above. It was late, everyone had probably gone to sleep.

  She had a small lamp and a wicker table by her bed so she quickly took a shower and climbed into her pjs. It took her a while to realize that without any roommates it was going to be a lot quieter, unless her neighbors were partiers.

  The only chair she had was a bean bag, so she threw it in the big middle of her living room for later. Until she bought some furniture, that would have to do.

  Her head was full of stuff. She wanted to sleep but it evaded her.

  Lying down on her bed, she opened a mystery she'd been reading and relaxed with a soda she'd bought while she and Cal were going back and forth from the dorm to the apartment.

  She almost relaxed until…she heard a noise. Trying to master the art of living alone, it terrified her in every way. She'd been one of those kids that was afraid of the dark. And in all her twenty-three years she hadn't gotten over that. That hadn't and wouldn't change. She still expected the boogey man to pop up from under her bed.

  The noise was coming from her balcony. A chill ran up her spine. But knowing she had to overcome her fears, she struggled with investigating the sound. She reached in the bottom of her closet for a baseball bat she kept for protection. Now armed, she felt more confident. She tiptoed into the living room and with caution approached the patio door. She peeked out the blinds. There was nothing there, and the wind was blowing so hard though it rattled the railing, that was more than likely what she had heard. She breathed a slight sigh of relief. Still, it bothered her.

  She turned the knob of the patio door and cracked it. There was nothing but the wind which had picked up considerably since she returned.

  She shrugged it off as an overactive imagination.

  It was much later when she finally closed her eyes and went to sleep.

  Chapter Three

  He moved quietly, approaching her from behind, lifting her hair slowly as he planted warm lips against the curve of her neck. Her head fell back in a soft sigh, as he worked his way around to the front.

  "Did anyone see you coming in here?" She whispered absorbing his kisses with such satisfaction.

  "No baby, no one." He whispered as he picked her up in his arms and cradled her. Kissing her hotly on the lips now, he carried her to the leather couch in the back office. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him his leave.

  He sat her gently on the couch and joined her side.

  They stared at each other for only a second before she reached for him. Lust and desire culminated and echoed through the dark of the room.

  "God, you taste so good," She murmured, and then moaned as he unbuttoned her blouse and fondled her breasts. He reached behind her and undid her bra, and threw her blouse across the room, then the bra. When he turned back to her, her eyes sparkled with white hot desire.

  "Every time I look at you, you get more beautiful. I don't know how you stay in such great shape all the time sitting at a desk."

  His attention riveted to her beautiful half naked body. Slowly with deliberation, he sank his head against her chest and nibbled at her pert nipples. She moaned with delight. She offered a pure guttural sound as his thumb massaged her nipple into an erection. As he kissed one, he fondled the other. She squirmed against him. "I was hoping you'd come tonight."

  "I've missed you…" He murmured.

  "Me too…" she panted as she aggressively kissed him back.

  His hand went to the hem of her skirt and worked its way up her thigh to the soft folds of her womanhood. He knew just how to manipulate her. She moaned softly.

  "I want you…"

  "I'm not stopping you…" she murmured. "It's insane how much I want you back. I keep telling myself I can make it without you, and I know I'm just lying to myself." She murmured in his ear as her tongue shot out to lick him there. His body jerked against hers. She smiled against the ridge of his earlobe. "Like that," she whispered.

  "You know I do…" He smiled into her hair.

  His hands were all over her and she was obliging him.

  Hurriedly she stood up and unzipped her skirt and shimmied out of it. He nearly whistled aloud, when he saw the beautiful red silk thong, and matching bra. He sighed loudly. "Turn around, I want to l
ook at you." He whispered. "I can't resist staring, you are perfect you know. And when did you buy that beautiful piece of silk and lace." His hands went around and over her smooth, round butt.

  "Yesterday, I knew you'd be coming. I wanted to surprise you. Do you like it?"

  He put his mouth there and breathed in the sensual smells of a woman in heat. "I love it."

  She smiled sexily at him. "You somehow manage to turn me on, no matter what I'm wearing."

  She turned and his hands went all over her buttocks. He squeezed, he massaged, while the warm embrace of his hands heated her. His hands were all over her, kneading, massaging, and then his lips. She turned around.

  "From now on I'll never look at you but what I don't think of that beautiful red thong between your thighs."

  "I'm glad you like it, because I bought a black one too. I bought them just for you."

  "I love it…" He moved to kiss her hotly on the lips. Then his hands ran down her sides, as he slid the thong away and she eagerly stepped out of it.

  Every move she made was erotic, meant to tantalize him into complete erection.

  He shuddered. In seconds, he had unzipped his jeans pushing them down to his ankles and then he thrust himself inside her. She moaned, "Oh yes…just what I was waiting for."

  He pumped her for long lingering moments, lust and desire became one and the same. The way he manipulated her body, had her nearly climaxing several times, but he was easy, gentle and commanding her to hold off. He was a master at building a sexual tension within her. He made slow thrusts until she was begging for more. Then he began pumping her hard, and harder, she gasped, lost breath, and hung on, as they both orgasmed in each other's arms, the room got quiet as their breathing returned to normal slowly. She kissed him passionately.