Things That Go Bump In the Night 2004

by Ashleigh Raine

  Char’s gaze moved toward the young woman standing near the bed. She was petite, with short hair that stood straight up in different colored spikes. Her lower lip was pierced and her eye shadow was a shocking blue. She wore a neat white lab coat over a worn Ramones concert T-shirt.

  She gave Char a wide, welcoming smile. “My name is Sasha.” She reached for a glass of clear, sparkling soda and she held it so Char could take a drink.

  The cold liquid felt like heaven on her abused throat and she took several deep swallows, then indicated she didn’t want any more. The woman put the glass on the bedside table.

  “What kind of clinic is this?” Char whispered.

  The woman’s smile widened. “This is a clinic for the Shadow Dwellers.”

  “What are the Shadow Dwellers?”

  Sasha’s smile slipped. “You don’t know?”

  “I’m feeling like Alice in Wonderland and I’ve just fallen into the rabbit hole.” Char let her head fall back against the soft pillows. The linens smelled of fresh lemons.

  “The Shadow Dwellers are those who live on the fringe of the mortal world. The vampires, were-cats, wolves, the creatures most humans don’t believe exist.” She waved her hand to indicate the sumptuous room. “This is where the Shadow Dwellers come when they need medical attention.”

  Vampires?

  “What kind of medical procedure would a vampire need?”

  “A blood transfusion?” Sasha grinned and Char couldn’t help but smile.

  “Are you a w-w-were-cat?”

  Sasha shook her spiky head. “Oh no, I’m a vampire.”

  Char sunk farther into her comfy bed. “Oh.” Her voice was faint. “That was my second guess.”

  “Charlene, are you new to our world?” Sasha asked in a gentle voice.

  “I don’t know what I am right now,” Char admitted.

  Sasha patted her on the hand. “If you don’t mind me saying, our world isn’t much different than the world of the mortals. We love, live, and have productive lives.”

  “Just with more teeth.”

  The other woman laughed and nodded. “For some of us that’s true. Most of us aren’t anyone to be feared. We don’t live under the beds of children to grab them when they stick their feet out from under the covers. Many of us are more humane than most humans.”

  “And what is Rik? Is he a cat?”

  “We call them were-cats. They are very similar to a werewolf from your American movies. Their kind are cat shapeshifters and they’re known for being very sensual creatures.”

  That explained a lot. Weary, Char allowed her eyes to slip closed.

  “It’s a lot to take in.”

  “It is. Just take it slow and trust that all will work out in the end.” Sasha stroked Char’s arm. “Rest. I’m sure Rik will be back any minute.”

  Just what the hell had she stumbled into? Vampires? Did they really exist or was Sasha some deluded freak and she’d landed smack dab in the middle of some sort of cult?

  Lyn’s wolfish face came to mind and she shuddered. No, what she’d seen was real. He had changed shape before her very eyes. She shook her head then regretted the movement as a soft wave of pain washed over her.

  The soft murmur of voices warned her that someone was approaching. Rik materialized in the doorway and his golden gaze centered on her. He was dressed in loose, dark blue scrubs and he looked disgustingly hale and hearty. Three scratches on his right cheek marred the perfection of his face, but she was pleased to see they’d been cleaned and attended to. When he saw she was awake, he smiled and her stomach clenched.

  She was definitely in trouble.

  “How are you feeling?” He kissed her on the forehead and she inhaled his familiar, beloved scent.

  “Shaky,” she said. “My brother—”

  “Is pissed but he’ll live.” He took her hand. “Just hang tight and everything will become clearer—”

  The soft sound of someone clearing his throat brought her attention to the door. A tall, dark-haired man clad in an immaculate Armani suit was watching her from the entrance. His skin was pale and his eyes were a mesmerizing green. Behind him came a second man that Char recognized from the alley and the warehouse.

  “Char, this is Alexandre Saint-Juste, the head of the Council of Elders,” Rik spoke. “The Council is akin to the American Congress.”

  The tall man smiled. “Only more efficient.” His cool gaze moved over Char and she fought the urge to squirm. “I trust you are feeling much better?”

  Char forced a weak smile. “Much, thank you for asking.”

  “And this is Bo, Lyn’s brother.” Rik indicated the second man.

  “A werewolf.” Char’s voice was flat.

  Something flickered in the man’s eyes and he nodded.

  Alexandre looked at his watch. “If we may speak freely, Rik?”

  Rik took her hand. “Of course.”

  “We need to discuss the recent events involving you, Weylyn and this young woman. I understand that the wolf is dead.”

  “He is.” Rik spoke and Char shuddered. As long as she lived, she would never forget the look of pure animal rage on Lyn’s face as she fell into the water.

  “Just how did he die?”

  Rik squeezed her hand. “I killed him, Alexandre.”

  The vampire frowned. “You were told to avoid confrontation, and killing someone is definitely a confrontation. What do you have to say for yourself?”

  “I killed him in order to save the life of the woman I love,” Rik said.

  Char froze at his words. He loved her? Did she hear him right?

  “That’s not a very—” Alexandre started.

  “Your honor,” Bo stepped forward, “if I may add something to your line of questioning.”

  Alexandre nodded. “Go ahead.”

  “My brother had plans to set Rik up from day one. He paid his human lover, an unmarked lover I might add, to seduce Rik into bedding her.”

  “For what purpose?”

  “He wanted a reason to start a war, sir.”

  Alexandre frowned and his electric gaze moved from Rik to Bo then back again. “What brought this on?”

  “Mikhail recruited him to start a war between the cats and wolves in the hopes that it would divide the Council and leave you vulnerable to attack.

  “Several weeks after Rik returned home, Lyn put his plan into action. He murdered Serena in New York and came here demanding an apology from Rik. I found out about her death only after our meeting with Rik turned sour.”

  “What happened during that meeting, Rik?” Alexandre asked.

  “He wanted me to grovel at his feet and he pulled an innocent young woman into it.” Rik raised their linked hands, ensuring Alexandre saw them. “He threatened her life and I was forced to defend her.”

  “This is most distressing news.” Alexandre’s gaze flickered over her, and to Char it felt like she was being caressed by a low voltage line. “While I am glad that your human was unharmed, I think it illustrates the danger of forging a relationship between humans and one of our kind.”

  Her heart caught in her throat and her gaze locked on Rik. She didn’t know what power Alexandre held but if he forbade their relationship, she was prepared to throw herself at his feet and beg for mercy.

  “I am aware of that,” Rik said. “I was a Shadow Hunter for several hundred years and I am very familiar with the dangers involved in crossing that line.”

  He raised her hand and brushed his mouth over the back of her knuckles. The depth of emotion in his eyes took her breath away.

  “But there are times we can’t help who we fall in love with,” he continued. “Love is like a train with no brakes, running downhill at full speed and you’re helpless to stop it. When the odds are against you and you already know you’re sunk, all you can do is hang on and hope for the best possible outcome.”

  Her eyes stung and she swallowed hard. “That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me, I think.�
�

  Rik grinned. “I should hope so.”

  “Given that Lyn was acting on Mikhail’s behalf, I think the Council will be in agreement when we say that you did nothing wrong in your dealings with the werewolf, Rik,” Alexandre said. He turned toward the wolf.

  “Bo, I would like to speak more with you about this.”

  “If you insist.” Bo’s tone was stiff.

  “I can’t insist; your clan does not recognize the Council,” Alexandre said.

  Bo gave a slow nod. “I think I would like to sit down and discuss a few things with you.”

  “Excellent. Who knows? We may salvage something good from this unfortunate situation.” Alexandre headed for the door. “I have to get going; the sun rises soon. Charlene, I hope you feel better soon. Rik, I’ll be in touch.”

  The tall vampire left with the wolf on his heels and Char couldn’t bring herself to tear her gaze from her lover’s. Her eyes stung and she whispered, “Now what?”

  “That’s an excellent question.” Rik lowered the bedside rail and sat on the edge of the bed. She scooted over until he slid his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. “We need to sit down and have a long discussion.”

  “A very long one,” she agreed. “Can we get something to eat first? I’m starving.”

  He chuckled. “I don’t know…the last time we had a meal together we almost killed each other.”

  Her cheeks heated at the reminder of their erotic breakfast. Her grip on his waist tightened. “I think we can contain ourselves for a few hours.”

  “I certainly hope so. I was in the cafeteria a few minutes ago and I saw some New York cheesecake and the cherry topping did remind me of you.”

  About the author:

  J.C. Wilder left the world of big business to carry on conversations with the people who live in her mind, fictional characters that is. In her past she has worked as a software tester, traveled with an alternative rock band and currently volunteers for her local police department as a photographer. She lives in Central Ohio with 6,000 books and an impressive collection of dust bunnies.

  The award-winning author also writes as Dominique Adair.

  J.C. Wilder welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at 1337 Commerce Drive, #13, Stow, Ohio 44224.

  Also by J.C. Wilder:

  In Moonlight anthology

  Ellora’s Cavemen: Tales from the Temple II anthology

  Writing as Dominique Adair:

  Blood Law

  Last Kiss

  Party Favors anthology

  Tied With a Bow anthology

  Twofold Desires

  Ashleigh Raine

  Non-Dedication

  This story is not in any way dedicated to our best friend Carrie. Nope. Not at all dedicated to her. No way. No how. We wouldn’t dedicate this to her. Nuh-uh. Not Carrie. Not the lovable, charismatic, vibrant, wonderful, loud, fan-damn-tastic, electric, hyper, bodacious, awesome, spectacular, intrepid, ballsy, funky-spunky, musical, lyrical, outer-spacial woman we know and love.

  So Carrie, now that this story has NOT been dedicated to you, whatcha gonna do about it?

  Chapter One

  Can’t close early.

  Want to close early.

  For the two hundredth time in the last five minutes, Jill Evans looked at her wristwatch. Had the hands even moved? She glanced up at the wall clock and sighed. Foiled again. Closing time wasn’t for another long, drawn out, painfully frustrating fifteen minutes. Ugh. She fought the temptation to flip the sign on the door to closed. Who was going to shop for flowers at 7:45 at night a few days before Halloween?

  No, she couldn’t do it. What if a young girl wanted to buy a flower for her first love? Or what if a gentleman needed a corsage for his lovely lady? Or better yet, what if a single handsome stranger wanted a solitary red rose to bring to the party tonight?

  Oh crap!

  Tossing her pliers back onto the workbench, Jill whipped around the counter to her computer. She’d never printed up her ticket for tonight’s Singles Haunt at Silver Twilight. She typed in her webmail address. While waiting for the site to load through her incredibly slow connection, she skipped over to the sink and attempted to clean some of the orange and black flower dye from under her fingernails.

  Three days until Halloween and everyone seemed to be getting in the spirit. Just today, Jill had sprayed a batch of gladiolus black and orange and carved a few pumpkins. But tonight’s bash was the highlight of her holiday. She’d always hoped that one day a man would walk through the door of Jill’s Bloomers and sweep her off her feet. Yet in the five years since she’d opened, the only sweeping going on involved her broom. The men who came in weren’t looking for a woman, they were looking for flowers for the woman they already had. Although that was great for business, it wasn’t great for her love life, or even her go-out-on-a-date-once-every-blue-moon life.

  So it was time to take the bull by the horns. Time to go out and get noticed, to live a little dangerously and maybe go a little wild.

  And hopefully find someone to go a little wild with her in the process.

  The party tonight incorporated all of her newest resolutions. Less than a year ago, Silver Twilight had been a strip club. Now it was under new management, offering live music and dancing every night. It was the place in Talisman Bay to go for fun.

  She cast a glance over her shoulder as she scrubbed. It looked like her e-ticket had arrived. Shutting off the water, she grabbed a towel and did the happy dance back to her computer, letting out a giddy giggle.

  Before clicking on the Silver Twilight confirmation and e-ticket, she skimmed her incoming messages and noticed one of her old college friends had sent her a Halloween funny. Her grin widened. Charlene always sent the best zingers. Jill had learned to never drink while reading Charlene’s emails, to avoid spewing soda all over the monitor. After clicking the appropriate button to print her e-ticket, Jill opened the joke email.

  She didn’t even get to read the first line before her printer jammed.

  “No, no, no. Darn it.” At least her stupid printer decided to eat something of hers rather than a receipt for a client. But she needed the printout in order to get in. That darn printer would not ruin her plans to finally have some fun!

  Jill yanked on the jammed sheet of paper, extracting it as though opening a Chinese fan, fold by fold. “All right, you silly old thing. Are you going to play nice now?” Offering up a prayer to the god of crappy computers, she returned to the e-ticket email, clicked print again and watched. “Thank heavens.” Her printer appeared to be cooperating.

  “Okay. Now then, what good joke did Charlene send me?” She opened the email.

  “Top Ten Things to Avoid on Halloween”

  Never—

  Interrupting yet again, the printer started to eat the page, making a horrendous squeaking sound. “But you were being so good!”

  Oh well. There wasn’t enough time to deal with it anymore. She grabbed a knife from her worktable, shut off the printer from hell and slashed the page free. Luckily, the e-ticket and confirmation number were on the top half.

  She tucked the ticket into her purse and for the third time, clicked to open Charlene’s email.

  Her computer froze.

  Jill stuck her tongue out at her computer as she powered down. Okay, obviously she wasn’t supposed to read that email tonight. Too bad. It would’ve been fun to see how many of those so-called rules she could have broken.

  She glanced at the wall clock. Only five minutes remaining. She swallowed her grin, reminding herself to stay professional.

  Screw it! Closing five minutes early was hardly cause for anyone to be upset. Hurrying about, she pulled the display buckets from the front sidewalk and began tucking all the necessary delicate blooms into the refrigerators.

  The bell on the door jingled merrily behind her. Fudge! She hadn’t locked it yet.

  Turning to the latecomer, she offered up her be
st retail smile. Hopefully, the fun at Silver Twilight wouldn’t run out before she got there.

  * * * * *

  By the time Jill had escaped work, showered, dressed up, discovered her nylons had holes instead of feet, rushed to the corner store, put on her new pair while driving, and finally arrived at Silver Twilight, the party was in full swing. People were talking, mingling, making a connection. The music was loud, and servers weaved through the crowd handling drink orders. It was the definition of organized chaos.

  Devils, pirates and warriors shared the dance floor with vixens, French maids and a few dominatrices. Most everyone was dressed in dark shades, the most common colors vamp red and soulless black.

  Her sparkly white fairy costume with tiny silver gossamer wings made her stick out like a sore thumb.

  No, she chastised herself, not like a sore thumb. She was unique and original. And so out of place she suddenly wondered what the heck she was doing there.

  Butterflies fluttered nervously in her stomach. As much as she’d been anticipating tonight, looking around at the room full of costumed people trying to make a love connection, she realized she had no idea what to do next. Should she just jump in and start dancing? Maybe buy a drink, then walk around hoping someone would talk to her? Paste a smile on her face, hoping it made her look friendly and approachable rather than three sheets to the wind?

  She shook her head and sighed. No wonder she was still single. She had no clue about this kind of stuff.

  An overweight vampire, blood smeared on both of his chins, winked at her as he sauntered into the bathroom. She stifled her giggle. Okay, maybe she wouldn’t be a complete failure with the men tonight. But should she wait around for another vampire? A pirate maybe? What about one of the knights in rusty armor?

  Wait a minute. Why should she wait around for some clown, or cowboy, or whatever that thing in the corner was to come to her? Tonight she was a fairy. And as a fairy, there was no reason she couldn’t flit around, grant wishes, flirt profusely and have a darn good time in the process.