Things That Go Bump In the Night 2004

by Ashleigh Raine

  Jill took a deep breath and thrust her way into the crowd. She expected to be bounced back out, rejected with a big red “vetoed” stamp on her forehead, but instead the swarm swallowed her up, welcoming her into their midst.

  The rest of her worry evaporated as she noticed a familiar face on the dance floor. Jake, who co-owned Rare and Unusual Imports, was dancing and laughing, surrounded by a group of women all vying to be the one he took home that night. His eyes met hers and he grinned, gesturing for her to join them.

  Not one to turn down an invitation to dance, she smiled and weaved her way toward him, already beginning to move to the music.

  * * * * *

  Arden snarled inwardly as he scanned the festive crowd. With the way the women were dressed, it was more like a flashers convention than a costume party. Everywhere he looked, breasts spilled out the top of too-tight spandex. Disgusting. Appreciating beautiful women was one thing, but watching them use their bodies to try to hook some poor fool for a night was almost painful. Was there not a decent woman in the whole place?

  An all too familiar voice mentally interrupted his internal tirade. You’re growling again. No wonder you’re still sitting by yourself.

  Arden cursed the telepathic, empathic and downright annoying connection he shared with Leo. Get out of my head, Leo.

  If you’re not even going to try, then why are we here?

  Through the crowd, Leo shot Arden the usual scowl.

  I thought there’d be potential here, not a roomful of women only interested in a quick lay in the back alley.

  Oh ye of little faith. You see my following. There’s tons of potential.

  Arden scanned the group of women surrounding Leo, then turned his back on all of them. Big deal. We’re not here just to get laid.

  Leo’s annoyance permeated Arden’s consciousness. Dammit. This was your idea in the first place. “We’re running out of time,” you said. “We can’t give up yet,” you said. “We can still find the one.” All of this bullshit and now you’re backing out?

  Arden downed the rest of his beer and gestured for the bartender to hand him another. This wasn’t what I had in mind.

  You know what, Arden, if you’re going to be a dick and give up, maybe you should just pick yourself out a vamp, maid, dominatrix or whatever and at least get laid one last—Leo’s spiel came to an abrupt halt.

  Wondering what had caused the interruption, Arden glanced back toward Leo, but his gaze was drawn to someone else. A woman, dressed in sparkling white and silver, weaved through the crowd as Leo continued. Or how about a fairy? Now, she definitely has potential.

  For the first time that night, hope stirred inside of Arden. The beautiful fairy glowed as she moved, unknowingly portraying a bright innocence that made her outshine every other woman in the room. Shoulder-length brown hair framed a heart-shaped face. Wide brown eyes seemed to watch everything at once, unabashedly soaking in the world around her. She was pure and sweet and exactly what he was looking for.

  A moment of guilt slashed through him. Did she deserve to be pulled into their cursed existence?

  Did they have a choice?

  Leo interrupted his troubled thoughts. If you’re not interested…

  I am, Arden fairly growled.

  Good, Leo replied smugly. Because it looks like our fairy queen is thirsty.

  Chapter Two

  Jill spied an empty barstool and her aching feet turned longingly in that direction. After putting in a full day of standing at work, then dancing nonstop for forty-five minutes, she was ready for the sit, drink and chat-with-whoever-was-nearby part of tonight’s festivities.

  Breaking from the dance floor, she made her way along a row of small tables, aiming for the short set of stairs leading to the bar. Jill passed table after table of flirting couples, heads pressed close so as not to miss a word the other said. She even saw the double-chinned vampire from earlier, cuddled up with a latex-clad goddess of equally dynamic proportions. She grinned. Love—or at least lust—was in the air tonight.

  At the last table next to the stairs, what could only be described as a gaggle of women surrounded someone Jill could not yet see. A few even leaned over the railing from above, smiling and flirting with whoever was seated below. They all laughed in unison and one of them moved, giving Jill an opportunity to see what all the fuss was about.

  Wow.

  Double wow.

  No wonder so many women were hanging around his table. The man had one of those classically beautiful faces, as though a sculptor had taken his time, meticulously carving out every rich detail of expression, the sharp arch of each golden eyebrow, the proud, aristocratic nose, down to the sinful expanse of his mouth. White blond hair disappeared over his shoulders and down his back. As she moved closer to him, she was able to see even more detail. Long, dark blond eyelashes framed almond-shaped amber eyes that sparkled with mirth, as though he knew a secret that all the women were desperate to learn.

  He sat crookedly, one arm resting on the table, the other casually lying along the back of his chair. Although clad in dark colors, mostly grays and browns, unlike the rest of the crowd, he would never blend in. Like a royal leader holding court, mesmerizing the women with his mere presence.

  Too bad Jill wasn’t one to compete. With a bevy of eager babes at his disposal, the man was probably a player anyway.

  She turned away from the blond god and, resting her hand on the railing, began to climb the few steps to the bar. For a split second, a warm masculine hand covered hers, fingertips clasping around her wrist almost possessively before retreating.

  Who had touched her? Jill looked down, almost expecting to see a red flush where her skin tingled. There was only one man close enough to lay his hand on her. She turned her gaze toward him as he straightened in his chair. Her breath caught as his amber eyes locked with hers. Awareness flooded from where her hand and wrist still tingled, to every cell of her body. His eyes danced, those full lips curling up into a knowing smile. She returned his smile, her heart thumping wildly against her rib cage.

  No wonder he had a harem ready to serve him. His smile alone could charm the cheap spandex off any woman in the room.

  Too bad she wasn’t just any woman. Wanting to avoid temptation, she tried to break from the blond man’s stare, afraid if she didn’t, she’d launch herself over the railing and into his lap. Instead, she rammed full force into someone at the top of the stairs.

  “Whoa, there. I got you.” Strong arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against a warm, male body, keeping her from careening backward down the stairs.

  Trying to regain her mental balance as well as her physical, she grabbed onto his arms and got a handful of rock-hard muscle.

  She squeezed her hands, getting a firmer grasp of his biceps. This man could easily bench-press a truck. He was probably one of Silver Twilight’s bouncers, sent to kick her out for excessive levels of drooling.

  Prepared to state her case, claiming dehydration and possible chemical reactions from the glitter makeup she was wearing, she lifted her head. Her stomach dropped to the tips of her tired toes as she looked at her rescuer’s face.

  Holy moly! Two hot men in a row. Where had these two been hiding all night? Although this man was an exact opposite of the blond god. He was dark. Rough-edged. Beautiful in a sexy, dangerous, probably-shouldn’t-take-him-home-to-mom kind of way.

  Wavy dark brown hair fell raggedly to his shoulders. Dark eyebrows slashed deliciously over black eyes deep as night. Strong cheekbones complimented his sturdy nose and late-night stubble covered his jaw. His mouth tilted up questioningly as he spoke. “You okay?”

  She nodded, not quite able to get the words past her lips. His voice was deep, almost more of a growl. He should have scared her, the whole package of dark, rugged male. But she wasn’t frightened. Instead, her body reacted to his nearness, heating from the inside out. Between this man, and her brush with the hot blond god earlier, her internal temperature had sky
rocketed.

  One of his arms slipped from around her waist, brushing her flyaway hair back into place.

  Realizing that if she didn’t say something soon he’d probably think her an imbecile, she grasped for the comfort of the line she’d been using all night. “Need a wish granted?” she asked, forcing her voice to come out light and flirty.

  His mouth widened in a crooked grin but before he could answer, someone bumped into him from behind. His arm circled tighter around her waist, pulling her even closer against the warmth of his body. Now within licking distance of his neck, she indulged her curiosity and inhaled, taking in his scent. He smelled like the outdoors, like the wind on a hot summer day.

  Warm lips pressed against her ear, his breath caressing her neck. She suppressed a needy shiver as he spoke. “You grant wishes? Have a drink with me?”

  Jill wondered if screaming yes and dancing a jig would be an inappropriate response. She turned her head toward him to answer. His lips were so close, she wanted to trace them with her tongue, to see if he tasted like sunshine, too.

  Instead, she licked her own dry lips, and said, “Wish granted.”

  Keeping an arm around her, he guided them through the crowd to a small table set up almost as an afterthought in the far corner next to the bar. He gestured for a server, while settling her into a chair.

  She finally got a chance to study the man whose body was most definitely worth falling down stairs for. Heavy black boots, black jeans and a gray shirt with a weathered black leather jacket completing the look. Guessing by the way he wore everything so comfortably, it was more normal attire than a costume.

  He took a seat across from her, then, resting his forearms on the table, leaned forward, closing the distance between them. “So, just how many wishes are you willing to grant me?”

  She matched him, leaning forward and speaking conspiratorially. “Depends on what they are.”

  “My first wish is to know your name.”

  Sticking with the comfort of her fairy persona she said, “Tonight I’m a fairy, escaped from my world for a few hours of mischief and mayhem. But when my wings disappear tomorrow, I’ll be plain ol’ Jill Evans again.”

  “Certainly not plain, Jill.” He shook his head, his gaze sweeping over her before returning to her face. “And tonight I am a great warrior from a strange world, seeking freedom I have long been denied. Tomorrow I’ll simply be Arden Griffin, graphic designer extraordinaire. Are you in need of a battle won? A website built? Or maybe my warrior can rescue your fairy and we can escape our worlds together?”

  “And then what?” Even though she knew this was only a game, she found herself caught up in the fairy tale he was spinning.

  “And then we live happily ever after, or so they say…” The tips of his fingers lightly brushed over hers, and her heart rate accelerated, feeling like it would beat its way right out of her chest. Then he winked and gave her a lighthearted grin. “But who really believes that stuff anyway?”

  The moment was interrupted by the appearance of a server. Jill smiled up at the woman and placed her order, then waited for Arden to do the same. She took that moment to catch her breath and regain control of her senses. This man was overwhelming in every meaning of the word. Tall, broad-shouldered, dark and intense, yet with a sense of humor and a way with the fantastical that seemed to contradict his outward appearance. So how much was real and how much was a part of the fantasy character he was portraying for the night?

  When the server left, Arden’s gaze returned to Jill. “So, my fairy queen, Jill. What do you do when you’re not granting wishes?”

  “I own Jill’s Bloomers,” she replied. “It’s a flower shop.”

  His eyes lit up. “On the corner of Hayden and Third,” he said as though continuing her sentence. “Your window displays always grab my attention. I think it’s your use of colors and shapes in composition. They beckon to the designer in me. But then I always think to myself, ‘I don’t need any flowers’ and I keep on going. Boy, am I an idiot, huh? Look at what I’ve been missing all this time.” His gaze washed over her face, centering on her eyes.

  “You’ve been missing out on the best flower arrangements in town,” she teased, unable to think of anything else to say. It wasn’t like she heard this kind of stuff everyday. At least not about herself. Her shop, yes. But the way he was looking at her led her to believe that flowers were the last thing on his mind.

  “Well, I’ll have to change that in the future.” Arden was about to say something more when their drinks arrived, brought by an incredibly well-built and handsome bald man. The two men exchanged handshakes and grins. “Diesel, I’m surprised you’re getting your hands dirty.”

  “Hey, now. I don’t just run the place,” Diesel said, making his point by grabbing a towel from his back pocket and wiping off the table.

  “No, you’re a workaholic just like me.” Arden shook his head, a self-deprecating smirk on his face.

  “Add me to that list.” Jill laughed. “It sounds like we all need to get out more.”

  “Silver Twilight’s my mistress and she’s not very forgiving if I take a night off.” Diesel glanced around the club, the pride evident in his demeanor. “And I haven’t found anyone willing to play second fiddle.” He held his hand out to Jill. “I’m Diesel.”

  Arden shifted forward. “Shit, I’m sorry. Jill, this is Diesel, he owns this place. And Diesel, this is Jill, she owns Jill’s Bloomers.”

  Her hand was swallowed up in Diesel’s. “It’s great to meet you,” she said.

  “The pleasure’s all mine.” Diesel let go of Jill’s hand and when she lowered it back to the table, Arden moved his hand close to hers.

  “So, Diesel, what brings you over here?” Arden asked.

  “Actually, I just wanted to thank you again for the website. This whole party never would’ve happened without your redesign and addition of all the online contact stuff that you claim to have thrown in for free.”

  “All in a day’s work, man. I’m glad it’s working for you, though. This gig’s a hit.” Arden smiled and purposefully returned his gaze to Jill.

  “And that’s my cue to leave,” Diesel grinned. “You both have fun. Drinks are on the house.” He headed back to the bar and the crowd waiting there.

  Arden watched Diesel walk away and breathed a sigh of relief. He genuinely liked the man, but he didn’t want to share Jill with Diesel for even a minute.

  The clock was ticking and he wanted to make every moment count, wanted to take his time with her, court her, prove himself to her, because after eighteen years of looking, he knew she was the one. But taking his time wouldn’t be possible. There were only three nights left.

  Shit. Why couldn’t he have met her before? What he needed from her was too much to expect anyone to give in such a short period of time. Maybe he should just walk away now, give up, let her go to find another man—hell, maybe even Diesel—who could give her a future without sacrifice.

  But that thought left emptiness in his gut, and made anger burn across his flesh. Maybe this was his true curse. After so many years of looking, to finally find the one who could make his world right again, only to lose her forever because time had run out.

  Jill took a drink from her beer, then cocked her head to the side and gave him a concerned smile. “You okay? You got quiet. Don’t tell me I’m boring you already.”

  “No, actually quite the opposite.”

  “Uh-oh. Is that good or bad?”

  “It’s good. Very good.” He was about to reach for her hand, ask her to dance, something to get his mind off the big picture and focused on just Jill Evans, but she beat him to the punch.

  Jill downed the rest of her beer and pushed her chair back. “Do you dance? Or…or…do you want to?” She gave him a glowing smile, but he noticed the nervousness in her eyes.

  “You read my mind.” This time he did take her hand as he swept her onto the dance floor. The first slow song of the night was playing, encoura
ging interested couples to get a little closer. A man crooned a ballad of love lost as Arden pulled Jill into his embrace. She settled against him as though they’d danced this way a thousand times before, one hand curled over his shoulder, the other still clasped in his.

  His free hand rested on the small of her back, holding her as tight to him as he dared. She relaxed against him, her face turned into his neck rather than away, her breath a sweet sigh whispering across his skin. A sign of trust he was so afraid to shatter. Her soft hair brushed against his cheek, and he inhaled, breathing in the scent of wild strawberries.

  You look enraptured, Leo said. Is she what we expected?

  Even more so, Arden replied. She’s the one.

  Right. Sure. We’ve been down this road before, and it always ends with the woman running away from the “crazy freaks of nature”.

  Don’t give me shit. I just know, okay? Arden spotted Leo exiting Silver Twilight, a tall blonde on his arm. And the blonde?

  Another option. If the fairy queen isn’t what you claim—

  She is.

  I hope you’re right.

  There was no need to respond. They both knew what would happen if she wasn’t.

  Too soon, the last strains of the ballad morphed into a raw techno beat. Couples around them broke apart, adjusting their movements to match the music. The primal pounding of the bass urged him to throw her over his shoulder, to take her away from the masses. All the muscles throughout his body flexed and tightened as he fought against his animal instincts. The mild annoyance he’d felt toward Diesel’s earlier intrusion had heightened a hundredfold. If he didn’t get her alone soon, he knew his control would snap. Although being alone with her would be another trial in and of itself.

  Jill lifted her head and graced him with a beautiful smile. “The song’s over,” she said wistfully.