Beasts Awakened

by Full Moon Publishing

  She didn’t bother with a response. Instead, she stomped to the other side of the room.

  “You know, when you were telling me about your scary Halloween game, I was expecting something a little better.” Chris teased. “This is nothing but a couple of scavenger hunts and a poor attempt at bringing in a fine piece of literature.” He shook his head, joining Ebony near the fireplace.

  Allen’s face darkened.

  “Forget them,” I said, squeezing his hand. “They are just mad that they are supposedly so smart and yet, they can’t figure out any of the scavenger hunts.”

  He nodded. “I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when we find something first.”

  I smirked. “Me too. It’s about time someone put Ebony in her place.”

  Determined to outdo our older siblings we started to search every crevice of the room, even though we had no idea what we were looking for. We had been so concerned with learning the layout of the game that we hadn’t properly listened to Kirk.

  “Do you think you could find your friend and ask him to repeat the clue? I feel like we are trying to find a needle in a haystack here.”

  “If I could find him… But he seems to have disappeared.” Allen looked around the room. “You’d think it would be easy to find someone dressed up as the Joker.”

  “Should we ask Batman to help us?” I pointed my thumb in the direction of a chubbier man who seemed to be sweating his way through his costume.

  “Oh? Old Bill? He’s as senile as Adam West himself.”

  “I don’t think he’s actually crazy. I just think you’ve been watching too much Family Guy.”

  “Guilty as charged,” Allen admitted.

  With no sign of the item or Kirk, we continued our search, hoping to get lucky.

  “Have you noticed that there are fewer people in this room?” I asked, opening a trunk beside one of the couches. Of course, it was empty.

  “Hmm, you’re right. Maybe people got bored and decided to leave?”

  “But, I thought the doors were locked?”

  Allen walked up to the main door and tugged on the handle. “You’re right. So, how are people leaving? Have you seen anyone leave?”

  “No…”

  We looked at each other for a moment, trying to figure out what was going on.

  Suddenly, Kirk appeared. “Are you trying to escape?” he asked, leaning against the wall. “Because no one escapes my little game…”

  Allen let go of the handle and turned toward his friend. “How do you keep doing that?”

  “Doing what?” Kirk asked innocently.

  “Just popping up. It’s like you just spring out of thin air or something.”

  “Maybe I do.” He grinned mysteriously. “But a true magician never reveals his secrets.”

  “If you’re a magician, where’s your fluffy white rabbit?” I asked.

  “I’m sure I could find one.” His fingers danced across my collarbone for a fleeting moment before Allen slapped his hand away, getting between us. “But, it might not be easy…” he said, glancing at Allen.

  “No. It’ll be impossible,” Allen growled, still standing in front of me, his eyes intense and full of jealousy. In a way, I was taken aback by how possessive he was being. Did he want me that bad? Bad enough to fight his friend? Because that’s what it looked like.

  “Maybe you’ll have better luck with Jessica Rabbit,” I said, trying to ease the tension that had built between the two men.

  “And face the wrath of her husband? Have you seen the size of him?” Kirk shook his head. “I rather make it out of this alive… but I can’t say the same thing for anyone else.” He winked before disappearing into the room.

  “What do you think he meant by that?” I asked, looking at Allen. A deep chill settled over my bones. “He wasn’t being serious, was he?”

  “Of course not… This is just a game. He’s just trying to scare us.”

  I knew he was right, but deep down, this sense of dread settled in the pit of my stomach.

  Chapter 12

  ALLEN

  Eventually, someone found the item. I groaned, starting to get frustrated that I couldn’t find anything. All I needed was one item and I’d have Essie all to myself. Her sweet flesh beneath my fingers. Her lips on mine. Her legs wrapped around my waist as her back arched and she screamed my name.

  “I don’t know how much more of this I can take…” I whispered as we left the room.

  She just smiled knowingly. She was fully aware of what she was doing to me and she was loving every second of it. This woman was a vixen. One that would drive me crazy.

  Together, we walked down a long hallway, following the crowd. It was half the size of what it once was. But, where had everyone gone?

  “Intermission!” Kirk bellowed into a megaphone. “Please return to this door in thirty minutes! But, don’t get lost, who knows what might be lurking in the shadows!” When he was done with his announcement, he plopped down into a director’s chair and pulled out a newspaper, flipping through the funny pages. He seemed totally absorbed in himself.

  “Well, what do we do now?” Essie asked, leaning on me, batting her eyelashes.

  “Oh, I can think of quite a few things…” I smirked, my hand on her ass, squeezing the supple flesh. “What do you say?”

  “I say, let’s see where the night takes us.”

  My smirk deepened. Quickly, I took her by the hand, guiding her through the maze-like corridors until we reached the stairs.

  “Race you,” she challenged as soon as she took off her high heels.

  “You’re on.”

  In a flash, she was bolting up the stairs. Her steps were light and airy, barely making a sound. I followed after her, my own footsteps thundering against the polished marble. I was just about to catch up with her when the train of her dress tripped me up.

  I fell forward, catching myself before I could face plant.

  Essie looked back. “Are you okay?” she asked, while still running up the stairs. She wasn’t about to lose her lead.

  I didn’t bother to answer her as I got to my feet, sprinting up the stairs.

  Even so, she beat me to the top, standing there triumphantly. “Slowpoke,” she teased.

  I kept running, tackling her into my arms. We rammed into a nearby wall so hard that a nearby vase rattled on its stand. She gasped, the air escaping from her lungs. I took my opportunity to kiss her – hard.

  Our lips started their erotic dance, melding into one. My hands were already exploring her body, taking in every inch of her.

  She wrapped her arms around my neck, tugging on my hair as her tongue slithered into my mouth, tangling with mine.

  My chest burned with a deep, carnal passion. Inside my pants, my cock came to life, rubbing against her thigh as my hand slipped under her dress. My fingers tiptoed onto her panties, feeling the silk material for the first time.

  Lace. With a little bow. I liked that. I liked that a lot.

  Slowly, my hands moved onto her ass, feeling the bare skin.

  Mmm, a thong to boot. Could things get any better?

  I hooked my finger around the thin piece of fabric and tugged on it, causing it to dig between her cheeks.

  She moaned into the kiss, her head tilting back.

  I immediately lowered my lips to her neck, sucking on her skin, leaving behind small little hickeys.

  “Allen…” The sound of my name on her lips sounded so sweet. I wanted to hear her say it over and over again, louder and louder. I needed to feel her desperation – to know that she felt the same burning heat inside of her as I did.

  I pulled a little harder, the fabric straining to stay together. I thought about ripping it right off.

  I was just about to do so when she pushed me again. “Don’t think you can weasel your way out of finding an item.”

  “Are you really going to make me wait?” I asked, my boner obvious t
hrough the thin material of my pants. “If I wait any longer… I might just die.”

  “Hmm…” She thought it over but still shook her head. “I wouldn’t mind screwing around with a zombie if you did.”

  I groaned loudly. “I swear… you’re going to be the end of me.”

  She giggled and flipped her hair over her shoulder. As she stepped back into the light of the hallway, her cheeks seemed to glow with a soft pink radiance. God, she was beautiful… I just had to have her.

  “Fine. If that’s what it takes…”

  “I look forward to it.” She winked, heading down the hall. “We have twenty minutes to kill. Why don’t you show me around a bit?”

  “What do you want to see?”

  “Anything.”

  “Anything?” I asked.

  “Whipping out your dick won’t count,” she clarified.

  “Damn. Just when I thought I had found a loophole.” We both laughed. “Anyway, I know exactly where to take you. I think you’ll love it.”

  Chapter 13

  ESSIE

  We stepped into the elevator, riding it down to the first floor. There, loud music boomed from the ball room where people were grinding together into one big sweaty mosh pit.

  Luckily, Allen walked right by it. We passed the kitchen, where some people had brought themselves to a drunken stupor and were now splayed around the tables and countertops like macabre mannequins.

  “This really is an impressive party. How many people are here?”

  “I invited over five hundred guests,” Allen answered.

  “Wow…” I couldn’t wrap my head around how different we were. I was just a small-town girl, trying to make a name for myself, while this man seemed to rule the world. He had everything he could ever want, and still, he wanted me. The thought made my heart swell. But, at the same time, I was wary. I knew this would probably be nothing more than a one-night stand. Something that would disappear as soon as the sun rose.

  “What’s wrong?” Allen stopped to look at me.

  “Nothing.”

  He furrowed his brows together, unconvinced. “Are you sure?”

  I nodded.

  He studied my face a moment longer but then relented. He opened a door for me, holding out his arm in a silent command for me to step through.

  The nighttime breeze rolled in, sweeping across my cheeks. It brought with it the smell of autumn. Decaying leaves. A soft hint of pumpkins. That fresh scent of dew forming on the grass.

  I breathed it in, filling my lungs with it.

  “Would you like my coat?” He offered as we walked along the well-lit path leading to a vibrant, breathtaking garden.

  “I’m okay.”

  Regardless of my answer, he shrugged off his patchwork coat and draped it over my shoulders for the second time that night.

  The fabric was a bit scratchy against my skin but it was warm and smelled nice. I pulled it tight around my body, enjoying the blanket of comfort that wrapped around me. “Thanks.”

  “Of course,” He kissed the top of my head and smiled.

  Together, we entered the garden. We were now surrounded by blooms on either side. I didn’t even know there were flowers that lasted this long after summer. Above our heads, an archway decorated with Christmas lights twinkled like tiny stars.

  “Do you come out here a lot?”

  “To be honest, no. Usually, Chris is the one who comes here to read.”

  “Then, why did you bring me here?”

  “Because it’s a beautiful place and I wanted to share it with you.”

  We stopped in the heart of the garden where there was a small koi pond. A miniature waterfall cascaded down a set of intricately placed rocks. The water glimmered in the bright moonlight, making it look like a sea of fairies. This truly was a magical place.

  His hands rested on my hips as he looked into my eyes. “Will you have this dance with me?”

  “Dance?” I asked, cocking my head to the side. “But, where’s the music?”

  “Don’t worry.” He snapped his fingers. The lights glowed bright blue for a moment. “Play romantic music,” he spoke slowly and loudly.

  “Playing Wedding Playlist!” an automated female voice rang out.

  “Wedding Playlist?” I questioned, raising my eyebrow in suspicion. Maybe there was something this man wasn’t telling me. “You aren’t secretly married, are you?”

  “No, no, of course not,” he answered quickly. “She must have pulled some random playlist from Spotify or something.”

  “Sure. Sure.” Just to make sure, I grabbed his hands, studying his ring finger. “Hmm… it doesn’t look like you wear a ring…”

  “That’s because I’ve never been married. No girl has been able to capture my attention for that long.”

  “I see…” I rested my head on his chest as we started to sway back and forth to the steady melody. “So, I don’t have much chance keeping you for the long run, huh?”

  His hands ran up and down my back before he answered. It was like he was picking each word carefully in his mind. “You’re different.”

  I nearly groaned. I hated when guys said that. It never ended well.

  “I mean it. I’ve never felt this way with a girl before. It’s not just the desire to be with you, to rip off your dress, and have my way with you; it’s something else.”

  I listened to his words, feeling like I was falling into a rut. How many times had I heard this same speech? Already, I was preparing myself for a one night stand that would only hurt me. If I was smart, I’d leave now, but I just couldn’t pull away. I needed him. Whether it worked out or not, I needed his presence, if only for a few hours.

  “You don’t believe me, do you?” he asked, tilting my chin up so I was forced to look into his eyes.

  “How do you expect me to? We are worlds apart. You’re a billionaire and I’ve barely made a dent in my fashion career. I know we could never be more than a one night stand. In the morning, you’ll find someone better, hotter, richer than me and that will be that.”

  He shook his head. “No. I don’t care about all those things.” He cupped my cheek in his hand, his thumb gently caressing my skin. “All that matters is that I hold you in my arms for as long as I can. I don’t want to let go, Essie, and I pray that you don’t force me to.”

  Was he telling the truth or just sweet talking me into believing him so I would fall for his tricks? I bit the inside of my lip, trying to parse through my feelings. On one hand, I wanted nothing more than to let my inhibitions melt away so I could give into my desires, but at the same time, I had felt too much heart break and betrayal to jump right into this. “Find that item and we will see,” I whispered, taking a step back.

  He sighed.

  I liked him, yes, but I wasn’t going to make the same mistake again. If he wanted me, he would have to work for it.

  Chapter 14

  ALLEN

  I watched her walk away from me, feeling like she was slipping from my grasp. Somehow, I had to convince her that I was different than all the others before me. I truly did care about her. From this point forward, I knew I had to tread carefully.

  Eventually, she disappeared from sight, fading into the darkness. Quickly, I followed the trail left behind by her perfume. I found her standing by the pool, looking into it. She was right on the edge like she was going to jump in at any moment.

  I came up behind her, lightly pressing my hands against her back like I was about to push her in.

  She lost her balance and tumbled forward.

  Instinctually, my arms wrapped around her torso, grabbing her before she could fall. I held her close. “Careful…”

  We stood there for a moment before she pulled away.

  “Why do you keep doing that?” I asked.

  “Doing what?”

  “Running away from me. Tell me who’s hurt you…” I reached out, about to grab her wrist but she stepped
back like she didn’t want me to touch her.

  “No one has hurt me.” There was an edge of stubbornness to her voice as she crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Essie, don’t lie to me. I can see it written all over your face. You’re afraid to get close.”

  Her features darkened. “You don’t know anything about me.”