by Leeah Taylor
“Hey, Uncle Danny said quit screwing and get out here.” She laughed at the hurried muffled voices behind the door.
The night started like any other bar night. Customers came in, new and old. Becca taxied back and forth to the bar, filling shots, opening beers and even making a call to Mario’s Pizza to order for a table of college guys. It was the usual.
None of it, of course, was enough to distract her from the thoughts in her mind. Where was William? She had hoped he would come tonight, even for just a little while. But the later it got, the more disappointed she was. William hadn’t come.
By the time they called last round, the bar was nearly empty. With the exception of some loyal locals.
“Come on, Frank.” Becca lifted an older, large man from the stool and steered him towards the door. “Time to go home.”
“I…I…I’m not ready yet.” Frank slurred his words and stumbled. As far back as Becca could remember, the man had been coming to the bar. Every night at the same time for at least 20 years.
Nikki ran over and caught his other arm. She gave Becca a knowing look as the two women fought to keep hold of the 225-pound man.
“Sure you are, Frank. Come on, the sheriff is outside waiting to take you home.” Becca laughed, pushing open the door, and a gust of fresh air hit them. It was refreshing, especially after spending a whole night in a smoke-filled room.
“Here you go, Dave.” Becca handed the inebriated old man over. “I’m sure his wife will be happy to have him home.”
“Come on, Frank, let’s go.” The sheriff put him in the back and waved to the girls before driving away.
“Let’s go get this place cleaned up.” Nikki tugged on Becca. “I want to go home.”
Becca tried to put off cleaning the bathrooms until the last minute. She detested doing it but the rotation chart hanging in the back let her know it was her turn.
She did the women’s bathroom first. It wasn’t bad tonight, but bad just the same. The smell of vomit, sweat and beer mingled in the usually sweet aromatic bathroom. Becca cringed and made quick work of mopping, disinfecting and renewing the fresh scent of lavender in the small room.
It was the men’s bathroom that Becca despised so much. She wasn’t sure who had taught any of the men who had frequented the bar how to aim, but she was sure they were no good at it themselves.
Backing out of the bathroom, pulling the mop bucket with her, she was taken by surprise when a firm hand grabbed her, twisted her around and slammed her into the wall. It made her wince some as a pain jolted up her back.
Mucky water from the bucket sloshed out and onto the floor, barely missing her leg and shoes. Her eyes met with her attacker and they narrowed. Davin’s grip tightened around her upper arms, pinching her skin. His rage filled through his eyes.
“Let go of me, Davin,” she demanded, pushing as hard as she could to try and loosen his grip. But he tightened his hands and slammed her hard again against the hallway wall. A whimper escaped her this time.
“Who is he? Huh?” he growled.
Raymont was a small town. The kind where everyone knew everyone and most knew something about you before you did. Becca thought of the festival. Almost the entire town population had been there. It was inevitable that Davin would hear about her intimate date with William.
She almost felt good about hurting Davin for once. The jealousy spilled off of him in bursts and she could feel that tension between them. Becca was all too happy to drive the knife even deeper.
His days of reigning over her and her life were over.
“Someone better than you.”
His eyes grew and a rage Becca knew too well stared back at her. He jerked her close to him, their noses just barely grazing each other.
“Better than me?” Davin’s hand closed around her jaw and he held it there. “You little bitch.”
Roughly he pushed her face away. He didn’t hear the footsteps approaching them down the dimly lit hallway. Davin was too focused on her, and how he could punish her for even thinking that there was someone out there better than him.
His hand came back ready to strike, but another hand grabbed hold and twisted Davin’s arm backwards. And he moaned against the pain.
A satisfied smile crossed Becca’s lips as her eyes found William’s. She felt her body relax and the fear slip away.
William thrust Davin against the wall face first with so much force that it took the wind out of him. He eld the back of his neck and twisted his arm even harder when Davin tried to fight back.
“Now, let’s see how you like it.” William seethed at him.
“Screw you,” Davin mustered, still struggling to get free.
“Screw me?” William grunted. He grabbed Davin’s shirt collar and jerked him backwards. “Let me tell you, buddy, I’ve had better offers.”
Grabbing the back of Davin’s shirt collar, he jerked him backwards and then slammed his head back into the wall, Davin’s nose making contact with the hard, flat surface.
Blood flowed freely down his face, followed by a gurgled grunt.
The Beast within William caught the aroma of the freshly spilled blood and his eyes flashed a little darker. He buried the urge to sink his fangs into the man’s shoulder, and began dragging him towards the bar’s entrance, desperate to get him out of the building. Droplets of blood fell to the floor, leaving a trail behind them. Becca hurried to keep up.
William threw the man hard towards the door, forcing Davin to collide into some chairs and then fall hard on the ground.
The commotion traveled to the back of the bar, where Linda, Z, Danny and Nikki had been. The four had snuck out back for a smoke and to cool down after another night at the bar.
Z and Danny jumped to action and went for the front, her uncle grabbing the metal baseball bat just inside his office door. Linda and Nikki followed closely behind, just trying to keep up. When they pushed through the storage room door and saw the standoff between William and Davin, they froze for a moment. Their eyes darted back and forth.
Linda pushed past them all and went to Becca’s side. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I am now,” she said with half a smile, her hand rubbing at the spot on her upper arm.
“Now get the hell out of here!” William said through gritted teeth, fighting the urge to do more.
Davin held the bridge of his nose, but blood still flowed down his face and covered the front of his shirt. He eyed Z and Danny, then the bat. He was outnumbered and already defeated. Davin pushed himself up from the ground and staggered out of the bar.
“Becca are you sure you’re okay?” Linda asked as she eyed the red marks left behind from Davin’s grip.
“I’m fine,” she mumbled, still watching William.
He stood still for a moment before turning and facing them all, ensuring that he could contain the darkness inside of him.
William went over to Becca, also eyeing the marks left on her arms. His fingers grazed the red marks lightly. It sent a powerful rage through him.
She could see the hurt in his eyes.
“Really, I’m fine.” She insisted, bringing her hand to his arm.
“Well, good thing you came when you did,” Linda said, looking up at him.
William only nodded.
Danny felt his heart stop when he saw William. He couldn’t forget that face. Not even after 20 years. A sick feeling started in the pit of his stomach. The fact that he was standing in his bar with Becca could only mean one thing. The day had finally come. All the secrets surrounding Z, Nikki and Becca would be revealed. He only hoped that they could find a way to forgive him for it all.
William didn’t notice the intense stare he was getting from Becca’s uncle. He could only focus on Becca.
“You wanna get out of here?” he simply asked.
“Yeah, I really do.” She could see something in his eyes. Something dark, almost, but she brushed it off as nothing more than the adrenaline.
“Uncle Danny? Can I
go?” Finally he snapped out of his trance and looked to Becca. He wanted to tell her no, but he knew that no matter what he said, Becca would do what she wanted to do.
When William looked to him for silent permission, he got that knowing feeling again. A pull, a draw; something was off about this family. He could almost feel it in his bones now. William was sure he knew this family – it was just a matter of how.
“Yeah, go ahead,” he said, crossing his arms.
She gave him a sweet smile and welcomed the comforting embrace William had around her. Opening the truck door, he let her get into the truck and quickly went for the driver seat. Caleb was on the prowl again. Watching and waiting to make a move. William could feel him. It was his presence that had encouraged him to go to the bar in the first place. The last thing he wanted was for Becca to get pulled into the evils of his world.
Pulling out onto the road, he stole a glance at Becca. She smiled when his eyes met hers. And he couldn’t resist but flash his sexy smile. It sent a shiver through her.
“Thank you.” She said, watching as the town fell away from them and morphed into the beautiful countryside that surrounded it.
“No need to thank me. Anybody with an ounce of sense would step in.” He hoped at least. She shook her head as though it would tell him otherwise.
“You’d be surprised how people can turn a blind eye,” Becca said, recalling how many times Davin had grabbed onto her violently in public, and no one had ever blinked an eye.
William relaxed some as the feeling of being watched dissipated. Caleb had backed off after the bar. The thought worried William. Either Caleb had grown bored of watching him, or he was up to something and would make a move soon.
He slowed and pulled down a dirt road. Becca’s brow creased as she looked to the surroundings. She knew this area well and recognized it even better.
“This is the old Marks farm,” she said, eyeing the house.
He parked up close to the farm house. “Excuse me?”
He had never heard it referred to like that. The farm had been a family property, but he had never thought anyone knew about it.
“The old Marks farm.” A smile touched the corners of her lips. “Ha, I have a picture of this exact farm house hanging on my wall at home.”
“Wait…what?” William let that sink in. He didn’t understand why she would have such a thing.
“Yeah, my uncle gave it to me as a gift. I kinda have a thing for landscape pictures. But he told me that he used to know the family that lived here. He grew up with them, I guess.” The look on his face was off-putting to Becca. “What?”
“Never thought about it, I guess. That it was possible our families had crossed paths at some point. Further back that is,” he said, jumping out of the truck. “Well, come on in.”
He rounded the truck to the passenger side, thinking how it was all so coincident. Her last name, Lorde, and how she knew who the Marks family was. Or at least knew of them. But he pushed the thought back as they entered the house. It looked run down some on the outside, and on the inside construction was untouched by modern style.
When she walked in behind him the view of the entrance overwhelmed her. Like she had been there before. The stairs that led up to the second floor, she could almost see them opening up to a large hallway. Doors lining the walls. Five to be exact. Four bedrooms and one bathroom.
She followed him into the kitchen and was overcome by its familiarity too. Her fingers glided across the wooden counter.
“Did you grow up here?” Becca asked, looking out the windows lining the wall in front of her. It gave way to the beauty of the land. Trees lining the property on all sides. The old red barn sitting off to the side of the house. She was sure she had been there before.
“Sometimes. When not here, at my uncle’s.” Several memories flooded his mind of them splitting their time between the Surface and the Dimension. “My mom gave it to me a few years ago.”
“It’s funny, I feel like I’ve been here before,” she admitted.
“Like déjà vu?” asked William, grabbing two mugs from the cupboard.
Becca looked around again. There was something so familiar about this place. From the hard wood floors just under her feet to the sweet musty smell that lingered in the house.
“No, not like that. It’s just something I know. I can feel it, ya know?”
He switched on the coffee pot and turned to lean on the island.
“It’s probably the same feeling I get when I see you.” Her head shot up and she stared at him. “Maybe your uncle used to bring you here as a child? Never know.”
“No, he says the house was abandoned long before I was born. The family had to leave or something.” Becca came around the counter and leaned against it across from him. William thought about it for a minute. Something wasn’t adding up.
William had spent his childhood here and they were the same age. Why would her uncle lie to her? It only added to the weirdness surrounding his feelings for her.
“Hmm, maybe in another life then,” he said with a shrug. Their eyes met and she pushed forward, her hands lightly touching him on either side.
“Well it’s good we found each other then,” she whispered, looking up at him sweetly before grabbing his shirt and pulling him towards her.
Becca pushed herself up on her toes and kissed him. Her hands slid under his shirt and a warmth filled her core as she felt her way up his chest. Feeling every perfection and imperfection.
He tangled his hands in her hair and pulled her even closer. The feel of her body pressing against his excited him. William lifted her up to the counter and kissed from her neck to her ear. Stopping just at the pulse beneath her skin. He silently commanded the Beast to stay put, down deep in its imaginary cage. Becca let out a pleasurable moan as he tickled her collarbone. Her fingers traveled down to his jeans and began unbuttoning them. His hands covered hers and he shook his head.
“No, not down here.” He lifted her into his arms and took her to his bedroom.
She nibbled his ear, his neck and kissed him hard before he had a chance to lower her to the bed.
Pulling his shirt off, he leaned down, kissed her belly, and listened to her moans. She arched into him as he neared her neck again, throwing her head back to expose her neck to him. If she only knew the danger she was playing with. He took her in deeply and his fangs threatened to betray him. The feel of them pushing down and out was strong. But he forced them back and silently growled at the relentless Beast. It recoiled some, easing up on the urge to take her.
She closed her eyes, lost in the moment as his tongue glided against her already hot skin, making its way down south.
A hard cold steel pressed against the back of William’s head and he froze. Shit!
Becca let out a scream when she saw the man standing there.
“Stop,” Caleb warned calmly, pointing a second gun at her. She was quick to obey, yanking her shirt back down her exposed tummy.
William cursed himself for not having sensed him. His emotions had been too tied up in Becca. He let out an exasperated sigh and squeezed his eyes shut.
“Come on, William, stand up.”
William eyed Becca. “Everything is under control,” he promised, pushing up and putting his hands up.
Becca sat up slowly and looked up at the stranger.
“What are you doing here, Caleb?” William asked as his eyes locked with the man’s.
Her eyes widened when he said the man’s name.
“You.” Caleb pointed at Becca. “Get up.”
William put himself between them.
“Move, William.”
“You want me. I broke the law, not her,” William said.
“Ha, you broke laws a long time ago, William. The only reason I haven’t come for you is because I’m just as guilty as you,” Caleb retorted. William narrowed his eyes at him.
Becca looked at him quizzically, not understanding his words. What law, she thought to hers
elf.
“You still want me,” he insisted.
“Are you not hearing me? I’m not here for that, William. Viktor wants to question her about the whereabouts of her father,” Caleb told him.
That grabbed her attention even more and slowly she got up from the bed. Feeling a bit more confident at the mention of her father.
“My father is dead,” she said, gripping to the back of William. His arms came up behind and shielded her from Caleb.
Caleb wavered for a moment, but raised the gun up at her again. It was inches from her and she dared to challenge it.
“You are not taking her to Viktor. Do you understand me, Caleb? Not a chance.” William stepped towards him and the muzzle of the other gun pressed into his chest.
“Your father is Tobias Lorde, correct?” Caleb didn’t even acknowledge William’s protest. Becca didn’t say anything.
“Let’s go, now!”
“No,” she replied.
He holstered his secondary gun and went for her, but William clipped him in the jaw.
“Go, Becca!” William demanded. Her feet took off towards the door and she made it to the top of the stairs before a force collided into her. The two nearly hit the ground. But Caleb recovered and restrained her around the waist.
“No, let go of me!” she screamed, kicking and scratching what skin she could get to.
William came at them.
Caleb brought the gun up to her head and she stopped fighting him. And William froze.
“It’s nothing personal, William,” he started to say. But then chuckled and shrugged. “Actually I take that back – it’s a little personal.”
Caleb pulled her closer to him. He breathed her scent in deeply and a devilish grin formed on his lips. His brown eyes turned black. Caleb’s stare met with William’s and he clicked his tongue.
“I can see the appeal. She’s quite savory. Maybe I’ll have a little taste test of my own,” he said against Becca’s face, his hot breath prickling her skin. She jerked away. “Uh uh, where do you think you’re going?”
William balled his fist and dared to take a step. But Caleb raised the gun at him again. “No, no, no, you just stay right there, William. You’ll get her back…eventually.” William didn’t realize that he was biting at his lower lip to contain the anger that brewed inside him. But when he tasted his own blood it only made the Beast within him flare. “Ta ta for now, William.”
