Charlotte's Pact (Demons in New York Book 1)

by Laurèn Lee

  Charlotte crossed her arms attempting to keep her body warmth inside her jacket. The sun had already set on the crisp autumn evening. Despite dusk having passed, the night was just beginning.

  “Oh yeah, um, we are going to Goode’s Bar. Adam’s band is playing,” Tori said shyly.

  Charlotte stopped in her tracks and stared at her best friend.

  “Tori, you know I despise that place! It’s always so crowded and the bathrooms are filled with puking sorority girls.”

  “I know, I know! I’m sorry, Char! It’ll be fun, though, I promise. Adam’s band is way better than the last time we saw them. And if that doesn’t help, I brought sanitizer wipes for when we break the seal!”

  Charlotte continued to walk with Tori knowing she had the best intentions, despite feeling as though she was being led to the lion’s den. Even though Goode’s Bar was a popular gem for other Buffalonians, Charlotte preferred more intimate establishments.

  The girls eventually approached the bar, patiently waiting in line with their IDs in hand.

  “Looks like you’re ready for me,” the burly bouncer smirked looking over their driver’s licenses.

  Tori giggled, but Charlotte tried her best to resist rolling her eyes toward the flirtatious bouncer. The girls made their way inside and were inundated with mind numbing rock-n-roll blasting from the band on stage.

  Tori, gleaming, grabbed Charlotte’s arm and pointed toward two guys standing near the bar. One was Tori’s boyfriend, Adam, and the other happened to be Charlotte’s blind date. Once Adam noticed Tori in return, he pulled his friend around to face the girls too.

  The mystery man locked eyes with Charlotte and her jaw nearly dropped to the floor. He was the most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. If Theo James had a more handsome looking younger brother, it would be Liam. His tousled hair looked perfectly styled and his biceps bulged through his V-neck tee-shirt. She nearly felt the need to check her mouth to see if she was drooling.

  Tori nudged Charlotte, trying to shake her out of her trance as Adam and his friend were walking toward them.

  Adam leaned in and kissed Tori a few seconds too long before finally breaking apart and beginning the introductions.

  “Hey, Charlotte,” Adam said. “This is my buddy, Liam. Liam, this is Charlotte, Tori’s best friend.”

  Knees quivering, stomach somersaulting, Charlotte held out her hand to shake his, only to have him gently kiss her hand instead.

  “Pleasure to meet you, love,” he said with an unexpected English accent.

  “You too,” Charlotte said, praying she wasn’t blushing.

  Feeling their introduction duties were completed, Tori and Adam instantly starting chatting about their days and the night ahead. Charlotte couldn’t help but stare at Tori and Adam, trying to avoid Liam’s gaze.

  She couldn’t think of anything to say without potentially stumbling over her words and making an ass of herself. Besides nerves, she also felt semi-embarrassed for acting so childish and squeamish. After all, he was just a guy at a bar. It’s not like he was some famous actor or something.

  Liam finally broke the silence, “Can I buy you a drink?”

  “Yes!” Charlotte said, a little too eagerly.

  Liam smiled, gently grabbed her hand and walked over to the bar.

  “What would you like? I’m guessing you’re a Cab girl?”

  “Yes, sounds good, thank you!”

  She was so nervous, she would have drunk anything he put in front of her.

  Liam ordered the glass of Cabernet and a Captain and Coke for himself. Charlotte took a sizable gulp of her wine and Liam burst out laughing.

  “Are you as nervous as I am right now?” he asked.

  “What makes you think I’m nervous?” Charlotte said, taken aback.

  “Well for one, your drink is almost gone and your hands are shaking,” Liam noticed, nodding towards her glass.

  Extremely embarrassed, Charlotte smiled, hoping he wouldn’t notice her blushing cheeks or hear her heart pounding through her shirt.

  Then, Liam grabbed her hand and said, “Feel how sweaty my palms are? My hands only sweat when I’m near a beautiful woman.”

  Charlotte giggled, “You’re right, your hands feel like the Niagara Falls!”

  “You know, I’ve never actually been there, maybe you can take me sometime?”

  “Sure,” Charlotte said sipping her wine again, although this time she took a more socially acceptable taste.

  “So where did you —”

  “What?” Charlotte shouted, leaning in closer to Liam. The next band had begun playing and they were even louder than the last.

  Charlotte mentally cursed Tori for bringing her to Goode’s Bar. And now that she realized her blind date wasn’t an ax murderer or had some kind of creepy fetish, she couldn’t even attempt to get to know him if she tried.

  Just then, Liam tapped her glass and made a motion for her to finish the rest. His drink was already gone.

  Once Charlotte drained her glass, Liam gently latched onto her arm and pulled her outside.

  “What are we doing?” Charlotte asked curiously.

  “Wanna get out of here?” Liam suggested.

  “And leave Tori and Adam?”

  Charlotte glanced back inside and saw Tori and Adam making out again. There was absolutely no way they cared about anything else right now.

  “Okay, let’s go.” The smile on her face shone brighter than the neon signs blanketing the Elmwood Village.

  “We just need to make one quick stop first, then there’s somewhere I want to take you,” Liam said.

  “Your apartment?” Charlotte asked hesitantly.

  “Oh no, somewhere close where we can talk and actually hear each other speak! Unless, I mean, you want to go back to my apartment?”

  “No, no. Let’s go somewhere to talk,” she smiled.

  Charlotte quickly pinched herself. Could this really be happening? Could this gorgeous man actually want to talk and get to know her instead of getting her drunk and taking her home? She was excited, but promised herself to remain cautiously optimistic, after all, they had only just met.

  They strolled hand-in-hand, no longer with sweaty palms, enjoying the cool night.

  “This is a pretty unique area, huh?” Liam asked.

  “Oh yes, Elmwood is my favorite. Tori and I usually go to brunch on Sunday’s to the martini bar, or pick a few boutiques to check out if we don’t have homework.”

  “Sounds like you’re living large,” he smirked.

  Charlotte chuckled, “I wouldn’t consider it living large, just trying to enjoy the area. Plus, we don’t go out drinking unless there are drink specials.”

  “Smart and good with money, my kind of girl,” Liam smiled.

  Charlotte blushed, again.

  Liam led her further down the Elmwood strip approaching a liquor store.

  “I just need to stop in here, I won’t be more than a minute, okay?”

  “Sounds good.”

  Charlotte stood beside the entrance. She watched stumbling co-eds mosey down the street and couldn’t help but laugh to herself. She hoped she had never behaved as such when she was still in her partying phase.

  Only a few more minutes passed, and Liam returned to Charlotte’s side, but no longer empty handed. Now, he held a large bottle of Cabernet in a brown paper bag.

  “Ready, love?” he asked.

  She melted at the sound of his accent. He could have asked her to jump off a cliff and she wouldn’t need to think twice.

  Hand in hand again, this time they made their way back down Elmwood toward Goode’s Bar.

  Tori and Adam happened to be outside on the patio sharing a cigarette and immediately started whistling and catcalling as they walked by.

  “Have fun, you two!” Tori called out.

  “Hey man, gimme a call if you need some rubbers. No love without the glove,” Adam added loudly.

  Liam temporarily let go of Charlotte�
�s hand to give his best friend the middle finger.

  Once Charlotte stopped laughing, she asked, “Well, where are we going?”

  “You’ll see, we are almost there,” Liam said.

  Liam and Charlotte continued to stroll down the street and make small-talk.

  “So, Charlotte, what are you studying at school?”

  “I’m majoring in Communications, but more specifically, Print Journalism.”

  “Journalism?” he repeated, thoroughly impressed.

  “Yes, we’re hoping to move to a bigger city after graduation,” she said.

  “We?”

  “Yeah, me and Tori.”

  “You two really are close, huh?”

  “Very.”

  “Where would you move?”

  “Maybe New York? We’re not totally sure yet, just trying to finish school.”

  “Have you been published yet?”

  “Actually,” she said, blushing, “I wrote a few freelance stories for The Buffalo News this past year. One was even picked up by The Associated Press.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing! What did you write about?”

  “I did an exposé about a recycling scam happening throughout the inner-city. It was my first big break! But, enough about me, what about you?”

  “But I like hearing about you,” he pouted playfully. “Well, I’m finishing up my MBA at the University of Buffalo,” he said.

  “Ah, so you’re a UB Bull?”

  Liam smiled and pointed his fingers up like a bull, the mascot of UB, “Guilty as charged!”

  “Impressive,” Charlotte said, smiling.

  “Thanks, love! Once I turn 25, I will also be able to take over my family’s business.”

  “That sounds exciting,” Charlotte said, “What kind of business?”

  “My family started an investment firm back in Surrey, and when they immigrated to America, they brought the business with them,” Liam stated proudly.

  “What’s the business called?”

  “Oh, um, it’s called Chamberlin Financial Resources Incorporated,” he said after a few moments.

  “Sounds fancy!”

  Before she knew it, Charlotte looked up and realized they had crossed over Elmwood and they were now approaching the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.

  “The art gallery?” she asked quizzically.

  “It’s my favorite place in all of Buffalo,” he beamed.

  Charlotte and Liam made their way to the back of the gallery and sat down on the stone steps overlooking another local beauty, Hoyt Lake. She couldn’t help but notice the clear night sky, and how brilliant the stars shone, reflecting upon the lake in front of them.

  “I used to come here when I was a kid, after my family and I came to America,” Liam began. “My dad would take me out on the paddle boats while my mum would sit on a picnic blanket and read one of her silly romance novels.”

  Liam paused, opened the newly purchased bottle of wine and poured them each a healthy serving in a red solo cup. They clinked the cups and sipped their drinks.

  “We used to spend hours here as a family. After paddle-boating, my father and I would join Mum on her blanket for lunch and lemonade. We came here as often as we possibly could. We were so happy, I miss the picnics,” Liam admitted, staring off into the distance.

  “Why don’t you have picnics here anymore? Did your family get bored of coming here so often?” Charlotte questioned.

  “No, my parents and I were in a car accident several years ago. They didn’t make it.”

  “Oh my God, Liam, I am so sorry, I had no idea!”

  “It’s okay, love,” he said patting her hand. “It was a long time ago. I used to feel so guilty, though.”

  “Guilty? Why would you ever feel guilty, it’s not like you were driving the car?”

  “My parents were taking me to a friend’s house to play video games. I was new to America and had a lot of trouble finding friends. A few boys in my class were going to be there, and I desperately wanted to make friends. I begged and pleaded for my parents to take me even though it was a school night. I don’t even remember the damn game, but if it hadn’t been for me, they would still be alive. Or, at least, that’s how I felt afterward.”

  “I’m so sorry, Liam. I don’t know what to say,” Charlotte said, softly.

  “You don’t have to say anything, love. This is the first time I’ve been back here and I’m glad to be here with you. Adam said you were a catch, but it’s surely the understatement of the year.”

  Again, Charlotte felt as though she was melting. How could this stranger open up to her so freely? Were guys supposed to be this honest? She had never met anyone quite like Liam in her entire life.

  Liam poured them both another drink from the bottle, brushed away the sandy blonde hair from his eyes and subtly changed the subject.

  “How about you, Charlotte? I already know about your education, what’s the rest your story?”

  “My story? Oh, I don’t have a story. I’m just a Buffalo girl with one little black dress and three jerseys,” she said.

  Liam raised his eyebrows.

  Charlotte grinned, “I have a shirt that says that.”

  “Well, Miss Buffalo, I’d still like to know more about you. Everyone has a story. How about where you grew up?” Liam asked, amused.

  “In the burbs, where nothing exciting ever happens. Except one time, an older woman drove her car into a pizzeria because she was really hungry and couldn’t wait to park.”

  Liam spat out a little wine and looked at Charlotte incredulously.

  “It’s true! This area is known for drivers ramming their cars into restaurants and businesses, not sure why, though.”

  “That sounds wild,” Liam said.

  “It was nice growing up in a small town, though. Everyone knew each other and neighbors were more like family than anything,” Charlotte admitted. “Although sometimes, I do wish I would have grown up in a busier city. I feel like I missed out certain life experiences. There wasn’t a hell of a lot to do when I was younger. Mostly, my friends and I would go to the local movie theater and loiter until our parents came to pick us up.”

  “Sounds like you were a little rebel,” Liam chuckled. “Luckily, life is full of second chances, and now that we’ve met, I can only imagine the adventures we’ll go on.”

  Charlotte blushed, trying to imagine them as well.

  Liam and Charlotte continued reminiscing about their childhoods, hopes, dreams, and everything in between. They shared all of their “firsts” like their first kisses, first times driving, first heartbreaks, and even first pets.

  “What about your parents?” Liam asked.

  “Oh, you know, they’re okay,” she responded quietly.

  “It’s okay, Charlotte. You can talk about your parents. It won't make me sad, I promise.”

  “Okay, well my parents are divorced, but both remarried soon after. I guess they weren’t meant to be, but they didn’t let the divorce get in the way of raising me properly.”

  “That’s great! Do you like your stepparents?”

  “My Dad’s wife is okay, she kind of reminds me of the show, Desperate Housewives,” she laughed. “My Mom’s husband is really wonderful, though. He taught me how to drive stick and how to shoot a gun!”

  “Lucky girl,” Liam said. “Remind me to never piss you off!”

  Charlotte nudged him in the ribs and smiled. “It also doesn’t hurt to have two of every holiday.”

  Liam chuckled and talked about visiting his living family members in Surrey on occasion and hoped one day, he’d be able to have a house over there to visit freely.

  “You’d absolutely love it there,” he promised. “I have three aunts and uncles and too many cousins to count.”

  Charlotte agreed and told Liam about her own travel hopes of visiting Paris, Italy and maybe Greece someday.

  “I would love to visit the world, take pictures and write, that’s my ultimate dream.”

 
“And an admirable dream it is,” Liam praised.

  The bottle of wine had been long gone, but it didn’t matter, they remained on the art gallery steps and talked until the sun began to peak above the horizon.

  “Wow, I can’t believe we spent the entire night talking,” Charlotte noticed, astounded.

  “I can,” Liam began, “It’s easy to talk to you.”

  “Yeah, it’s easy to talk to you too,” Charlotte agreed shyly.

  Charlotte hadn’t had this deep a conversation in her life with anyone besides Tori, and now she had spent her entire night talking to a stranger. She secretly hoped they weren’t moving too fast.

  “Well, I suppose I should walk you back to your dorm now?”

  “Sure, I’d like that a lot,” Charlotte agreed, shaking away her doubts.

  Liam stood up and held out his hand to Charlotte. She graciously accepted the gesture and allowed him to pull her up to her feet.

  Even though it was Saturday, cars were beginning to fill up the streets. Charlotte and Liam continued to hold hands as they crossed Elmwood and approached campus.

  “This campus is lovely,” Liam noticed looking around at all of the buildings.

  “Yeah, it’s a pretty great place to go to school. It’s even better than UB,” she teased.

  “Is that a bet you want to make, Miss Buffalo?”

  “You’re on!” Charlotte challenged.

  “Well, we’ve got to make the bet official, then,” Liam said and he took Charlotte in his arms, dramatically dipped and kissed her.

  It seemed as though Tori’s bad judgment was over.

  6

  Present

  Charlotte began to stir and slowly opened her eyes. It hadn’t been a dream, it wasn’t even a nightmare, they had been driven off the road by a semi-truck.

  At first, her call to Liam was barely audible. She tried a few more times to clear her throat and was finally able to shout his name.

  “Liam? Liam? Are you okay? Liam, can you hear me?”

  Despite her cries, silence still blanketed the night.