Sam nods. “Okay, we definitely don’t want to miss our flights in the morning.”
Silently, we begin to walk down. We are both shaken, but I’m haunted more by that blur of black that had risen as if from underneath our car… and then disappeared.
For some crazy reason the shadow seemed familiar.
Chapter 35
Rocco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU9p1WRfA9w
-She’s Like The Wind-
I push my burnt hands into the pockets of my jacket as I reach the house. William opens the door and I tell him there has been an accident involving Autumn and they are now walking down the mountain, but there is now an obstruction on the road. He is to get the men to clear it immediately, then send Raoul to pick up the girls and send them home. He could probably pick them up before they get to the bottom of the mountain.
My back was still hurting before, but it is now throbbing with renewed vigor after I strained it by holding the car up. I dragged my pain-ridden body up the stairs to my bathroom, and hold my palms under the cold water. The skin has been burnt off and the flesh looks raw and bloody.
From behind me a face floats onto the mirror. I meet her sly eyes and try not to show the intense hatred I feel for her. The less she knows me, or how I feel, the better. I understood a long time ago, my sister has no limits. She will let nothing stand in her way.
“You could have killed her,” I say expressionlessly.
“There was never a chance of that happening.”
“What if one of those shards of rock had pierced the windscreen and crushed her?”
She shifts uncomfortably. “It didn’t, did it?”
I close the taps and turn around to face her. She is leaning casually against the door frame and cradling a glass half full of whiskey. “What would you have done if she died?”
“Don’t be so silly. There was no possibility of that. I chose the area with the softest landing. I just wanted to test if you would be able to feel when she was in danger.” She shrugs. “If you had not turned up I would have ‘saved’ her myself.”
I want to explode, to hurt her, but I cannot. Ancient rules forbid such actions. “You put her life at risk to test me?”
She strokes the sides of her glass with her long, slender fingers. “Well, that was one of the reasons.”
“And the other?”
She smiles. “I was actually trying to help your cause.”
“My cause?” I ask softly.
“You’re losing your touch little brother. That was your opportunity to show yourself and be the savior. Every girl wants to be rescued by a knight in shining armour, a hero. And you are that, aren’t you, little brother. A hero.”
I walk up to her and stare into her unrepentant, cruel eyes. “I don’t need help from you. I have my own way of seducing a woman. I will give her the choice. Until then, butt out of my business. Do you understand me?”
She smiles a victorious smirk. “Yes, I understand, but don’t take too long. We’re all suffering here.”
I shake my head with disgust. “Do you ever consider anybody else’s needs but your own?”
“Have the moral high ground if it keeps you warm at night, I just want my hair back.”
I side-step her and start to walk away, but as I pass her I smell it. Underneath her expensive perfume… only faintly, but nevertheless present is the smell of putrefaction. I wonder if I am extruding the same stench of corruption and decay.
“She’s flying to New York tomorrow. That friend of hers won an academic competition so they’ve been invited to attend a black-tie dinner gala,” she murmurs.
I stop and turn. “I suppose you had something to do with it?”
“Of course. You have to admit it was genius. How else was I going to get her in New York?”
“Leave,” I roar, hardly able to control my fury. A headache that is threatening to split my head apart has just started too.
Calmly, she discards the glass of whiskey on a table near her, and walks towards the door. As she departs, she throws out her parting shot. “See you in New York.”
Chapter 36
Autumn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_izvAbhExY
-Staying Alive-
The first thing I see when I open my eyes is Sam’s red curls on the pillow next to me. Her eyes are closed and her mouth is slightly open. It’s been a long time since we slept in the same bed, and I feel a rush of love for her. I reach out a hand and touch her flaming hair and her eyelids flutter open.
“Good morning,” I say with a smile.
She chews her bottom lip. “Autumn, I’m so very sorry I made us go up the mountain yesterday. It was very irresponsible of me, especially after you warned me that the road is dangerous. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“Don’t be such a dork. Main thing is we made it out unhurt.”
“Anyway, I’ve decided to pay for you to get another car.”
“No, I don’t want you to do that. I don’t care about the car. I’d lose everything for you.”
She smiles slowly. “I’d lose everything for you too.”
I smile back. “Good. Are we going to stop being so mushy and get ready to go to the airport?”
Her eyes twinkle. “So mushy it’s almost moist.”
I put my hands over my ears. “Ugh, stop it. You know I hate that word.”
“Moist,” she repeats.
I pull the pillow out from under my head and start bashing her with it. She screams and falls out of bed. I look down at her. “I hope that hurt.”
“Moist,” she says, and starts laughing.
I have never been to New York before. I hoped to, one day, but it hadn’t been in any of my plans for the near future, but here I am.
To our delight and surprise, we are led to a waiting limo on the tarmac. We jump in excitedly, the uniformed chauffeur pulls away, and just like that we are onto an adventure of a lifetime. We are driven through the busy streets of the Big Apple. I stare out of the window with fascination.
Yellow taxis fill the roads, and an endless stream of people are either hurrying along on the sidewalk or waiting in large numbers to cross the streets. Traffic noises and strange scents fill the air. There is so much to see. So many shops, restaurants, patisseries, hot dog stands, parks, bars... gosh… so many skyscrapers. So many different types of people. And all of them are so busy, busy, busy. Compared to this ceaseless chaos, color, and noise Hunter’s Cross seems like an oasis of absolute peace and bliss.
“What do you think?” Sam asks.
I turn to meet her shining eyes. “It’s loud, isn’t it?”
“It’s exciting.”
I smile at her. “Yeah, I guess it is.”
The Four Seasons is beautiful with its art décor lobby and its stunning onyx ceiling. We are shown to our suite which is pretty luxurious. There is a bottle of champagne inside an ice bucket and a basket of fruit waiting for us.
“Oh, my God. It’s Dom Perignon!” Sam squeals.
“Wow, they really pamper the winners, don’t they?” I note, as Sam tears off the foil on the bottle of Champagne.
“Well, this is the first year this competition was introduced in the campus, but long may it last,” she says as the cork pops out.
Champagne flows down the bottle as Sam fills two flutes. We clink glasses.
“Well done to you, Sam. I’m really, really, really proud of you. I think if I was any prouder I would burst.”
“Thank you, babe.”
We go to stand on the balcony with a panoramic view of Central Park. We finish our glasses and look at each other. “Sightseeing or a visit to the spa? Not only entrance but any treatment in the spa is part of the prize. Also I believe we are allowed a visit to the hairdressers.”
“Both of us?” I ask incredulous.
“Both of us. I called and checked,” she confirms.
“Wow, okay. It’s your prize. You decide.”
“My prize comes
tonight when I get to meet Professor Leon Joseph Chernyshevsky. You get to decide this one.”
“Can we squeeze both into the itinerary?”
She grins. “See why I let you make the decisions.”
So we do both. A bit of sightseeing and then back to the spa for a full body massage, manicure, and pedicure, then to the salon to get our hair done. Afterwards we go back to our room and change into our new dresses. Sam looks absolutely divine in a long white dress. With her flaming red hair, it makes her look as if she is a Greek Goddess. It makes my hand itch to paint her.
She comes forward and touches the amulet. “You look beautiful, but how strange that I cannot imagine you without it now. It is as if it has always been a part of you.”
“That’s a strange thing to say,” I murmur.
“I know. Autumn, do you sometimes feel as if you are at the very edge of something? One more step and everything will change forever.”
I shiver. “Don’t. You’re scaring me.”
She laughs. At that moment, she looks undefeatable. Nothing can stop her. “I’m not scared. I welcome it, whatever it is.”
I grasp her hand. “Let’s go. Let’s go meet this hero of yours.”
Chapter 37
Autumn
I stand up and clap furiously as Sam goes to receive her prize. She looks so happy. In my heart, I wish this will be the start of something special for her, that amongst these sophisticated, well-connected people will be someone who will offer her the job of a lifetime when she finishes her education.
When the prizes have been given out, we move towards the dance floor. We are both flushed with champagne and happiness. Once or twice my mind wanders to Rocco, but I push the thought away. I will see him on Monday. And that will be the day he will tell me his secret and I will decide if I walk away or stay with him, though it’s getting real hard to imagine doing the latter.
“Oh, my God, Autumn! There he is.”
I turn to see a nondescript man with greying hair and thick glasses. Even from where we are I can see dandruff on the shoulders of his ill-fitting suit.
“Come on, let’s go say hello,” she says, as she drags me towards him.
“Hello, Professor Chernyshevsky,” Sam gushes.
I didn’t realize what a complete total nerd Sam was until this moment. I try not to show my amusement.
He peers at her through his thick glasses. “Ah, Miss Samantha Collins. Congratulations on winning the competition.”
“Thank you, Professor. This is my best friend Autumn.”
He turns to look at me as if he cannot understand why I was there.
“Hello, Prof,” I mutter. The simple fact is I have as much interest in him as he has in me. I flash a smile. “I’m going to get a drink. In the meantime, both of you can talk shop.”
Sam frowns. “You don’t have to leave.”
I frown back meaningfully. “I want to leave. Catch you later.”
She nods. “Okay. Catch you later. But come back if you get bored.”
I just about stop myself from shaking my head incredulously at her. How could anything be more boring than what she and the Professor are about to discuss?
I wander off towards the bar. As I climb onto the stool, a man takes the stool next to mine.
“Hey,” he says.
He has dark hair, gray eyes, and pale skin. He is actually extremely handsome, like one of those models you see on GQ magazine, but something about him makes the hackles on my neck stand. Ignoring him, I ask the barman for a glass of champagne.
“I’m not coming on to you. I’m the organizer of this event. I’m Daniel Dupress,” he says.
I turn towards him. His eyes are sly. In my peripheral vision, I can see my order has arrived. I pick up the glass and take a sip. I do not trust him. I wonder what he wants with me. “You did a great job.”
“That’s a beautiful locket,” he says softly.
I feel my body tense. “Thanks.”
He smiles, a charming, totally attractive smile. No doubt it has melted the hearts of many a girl. “I hope you don’t think I’m being rude, but where did you get it from?”
I don’t know why, but I don’t want to tell him about Zelena. A lie forms in my throat and flows out of my mouth. “I bought it at a flea market.”
His eyes flash. He knows I’m lying. “A flea market? It looks very valuable.”
The lies continue pouring out of my mouth. “I didn’t pay much for it so I don’t think it’s very valuable. I just liked the design.”
“I happen to believe it might be very, very valuable. May I touch it?”
Every cell in my body recoils with revulsion, but another part of my brain wants to know more about the amulet. I grasp the chain above the amulet and hold it a few inches away from my skin. The way his eyes fix on the amulet is shocking. There is greed, there is awe, and there is something else… fear. His top lip quivers in an animal-like way as he reaches out an elegant, perfectly manicured hand. I watch with fascination as his eyes glitter with intense desire the closer his hand gets to Zelena’s talisman. As his hand is about two inches away, his eyes suddenly widen and bulge, and his face contorts as if in horror. In a flash, he snatches his hand away as if the charm has burnt him.
“The fruit can’t be taken, Daniel. It has to be given,” a voice murmurs smoothly.
Instantly, my body relaxes as if it knows that nothing and no one can hurt me while Rocco is around. A wild excitement fizzles in my veins. Rocco is here in New York. I thought I wouldn’t see him again until Monday. I watch Daniel’s face lose its horror and settle back into its original slick, slightly smug expression.
“Then you should pick it, and fast, the smell of the fruit is all around the room.” Daniel swivels his eyes around the room as he speaks.
I follow the direction of his gaze and see that indeed there are people watching us avidly. Their eyes drop or move away quickly when they catch my eyes.
“Are you giving me advice?” Rocco asks, his voice deceptively soft, but steely.
“Not at all. Merely, pointing out the inescapable fact that time is passing… and we are all waiting.” His mouth widens. It is not a smile, but a dangerous stretching of lips.
I look up and see Rocco stretch his lips too. There is no amusement in his face.
It is as if he, Rocco, and I are speaking a secret language. A language that I cannot properly understand, but both Rocco and he are fluent in.
Daniel looks at me then spreads his hands out to his sides before he gives a courtly, extravagant bow. “Good evening, Miss Delaney. I wish you an interesting evening.” As he passes close to me, a whiff of something horribly rotten fills my nostrils and I immediately pinch my nose with my fingers.
“Ugh! He just farted on us,” I complain incredulously.
Rocco takes the seat Daniel vacated. He looks breathtakingly handsome in a black tux. Under the lights his hair shines and his eyes are like gemstones. Ignoring my comment about Daniel’s dirty parting gift, he says, “You look beautiful tonight.”
“Thank you, so do you,” I murmur, taking my fingers off my nose.
A waiter comes by with a tray of champagne flutes, but Rocco shakes his head.
“Are you not drinking?” I ask curiously.
“I never consume anything for which I do not know its source.”
I tilt my head and look at him curiously. “You know that is a very strange habit, right?”
“Yes. I’m fastidious like that,” he says simply.
“Care to tell me what that exchange with Daniel was about?”
“It is a long story. I will explain it later tonight,” he replies seriously, as his eyes drop to the amulet.
I am suddenly filled with curiosity to see how he will react to touching it. “It’s very old. Want to touch it?”
He reaches out a hand and I find myself holding my breath. His hand gets closer and closer, then I feel his fingers brush my skin, as he lifts the locket up. My breath comes out
in a rush.
“What are you doing here?” I whisper hoarsely. I can feel my heart beating faster.
He lets go of the locket. “I was invited.”
I run my finger along the condensation outside of my glass, then look at him from beneath my lashes. “Did you know I would be here?”
“Yes,” he admits quietly.
“Who told you?”
“My sister.”
Understanding dawns. “Ah. And she invited you here too.”
He nods.
I glance back towards the edge of the stage, to where Sam is staring with an enraptured look at the Professor while he explains something to her. Then I turn my attention back to Rocco. Suddenly, it all made sense. Something always felt wrong. A prize for a student and her friend that included being flown first class, limo service from the airport, a luxurious suite at the Four Seasons, Dom Perignon champagne, and carte blanche use of the Spa and room service.
I exhale softly. “Is your sister the reason Sam and I are here?”
“Yes.”
If she spent that much money and trouble to get us here she must want something, something big. “What does she want with us?”
“She doesn’t want anything from your friend. Just you.”
I feel a cold finger of fear run down my spine. “What does she want from me?”
“I will tell you tonight. First, I need to introduce you to some people.” He stands and shoots his cuffs.
“This thing you have to tell me tonight, it’s bad, isn’t it?”
“Like I said before, it depends on the person. Some people will love the concept and dive right in, and others will hate it with all their being.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Like Marmite?”
“Not quite, but you get the picture.”
The Other Side Of Midnight Page 13
