“There’s your flaw. I knew it was bound to pop up soon. What’s the first question?”
“Where were you born?” He leans on the table, putting on a serious face.
“Yes, that’s an awful first date question. I’m ready to walk out.”
We laugh.
“I was born in California. You?”
“Florida. Both coast state babies. That’s why we’re drawn to each other.” His shoulders relax. “Here’s a tough one. It’s a fill-in-the-blank. Last relationship failed because...?”
“He asked too many stupid questions.”
“This is why I’m single, ladies and gentlemen.” He waves his hands in the air to an empty audience.
Our food arrives and we start eating. It’s delicious...probably one of the top three dinners I’ve ever eaten of all time.
“Is it my turn?” I ask when the server takes the plates away. “To ask questions, that is.”
“Shoot.”
“Do you live alone?”
“Yes. Staying in an apartment a few blocks from the diner.”
“And you don’t walk to work?”
“If I walked to work, how could I drive you home?” His mouth twists into a lopsided smile.
“Ah, it’s your power tool of seduction.”
“I’ve never heard that analogy before, but I like it.”
“Do you have family near here? Are they also in Florida? Any siblings?”
His smile disappears. “My mother died seven years ago. My dad lives on the coast, but we don’t talk much. I’m an only child. What about you?”
An ache builds within me. We have more in common than he realizes. I’m not sure I can muster a response.
A steady rain starts, blowing the wetness in with the breeze.
Kyle moves to cover me from getting wet. “Here are my keys to the Jeep. I’ll go inside to pay the bill and meet you.” He looks up to the sky with a baffled expression. “I thought it wasn’t supposed to rain tonight.”
I nod and rush to his Jeep. Once I’m inside, I look for a towel or something to dry my face, but his back seat is bare. I open the glove box and a gun tumbles out into my hand.
Chapter 15
The gun feels heavy in my hand. A shiver runs through me when I shakily place it back into the glove compartment. Why does a diner cook/stargazer feel the need to carry a gun?
I’ve never liked guns.
Kyle runs to the Jeep. “Phew, it’s coming down now.”
“Yeah, do you have a towel, napkin, or tissue? My face is wet.” I slowly reach for the glove box.
He grabs my hand. “Not in there. I have a blanket in the back.”
He doesn’t want me to see the gun. “That’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Wouldn’t want you to get any wetter.”
“Did you want to see a movie or something? No stargazing tonight, unfortunately.” He starts the engine. “It’s early enough to catch the last showing in town.”
“Kyle, I’m actually not feeling too well. My head’s pounding. I’m afraid I’ll have to take a raincheck, if that’s okay.”
He squeezes my hand. “Do you need me to pick you up anything on the way home? Aspirin?”
“No, that’s not necessary. I have something at home.” I close my eyes, leaning against the headrest. “Thank you, though. Thanks for dinner and for the flowers, too. They are gorgeous.”
“You’re welcome.”
Kyle remains quiet during the ride home. He turns on the radio, playing soft classical music with the volume low. All I can think about is the gun one foot in front of me. The gun he didn’t want me to see.
Why did I need to test him? I honestly thought he’d justify its existence, easing my mind from coming up with wild and crazy accusations. Maybe he’s a hitman and the diner is his cover. Maybe he’s been threatened. Maybe he’s a loon. Why didn’t he let me open the damned glove box?
“We’re here.” Kyle pats my shoulder.
I rub my eyes open. “Oh.”
“Is someone staying with you?” He points to Fonso’s car.
“That’s my cousin’s. He’s crashing here for a while. Feeling kind of crowded at home.” I pick up my bag. “Thank you for dinner. It was a great choice.”
“You’re welcome.” He leans in, pecking me on the lips.
“See you tomorrow at the diner?”
He nods.
I hop out of the Jeep, dashing in the drizzle to the cabin.
He drives away before I’m through the door and I’m relieved.
“How’d the date with Mr. Dreamy go?” Fonso lowers his paperback. “Where’d he take you?”
“We went to an Italian restaurant by a lake. It was good.” I fling my bag onto the coffee table.
“Good? Just good? Not fabulous or amazing or even a wonderful?” He places his book on the floor. “Why are you home so early?”
“It started raining and I told him I had a headache.”
“A headache? Why? What happened?”
I face him. “It started raining and I went to his Jeep while he was paying. I looked in his glove box for a napkin or something and an effing gun falls in my hand.”
“A lot of people have guns these days.” Fonso shrugs.
“That’s not the weird part. I put the gun back and when he came out I reached for the glove compartment, pretending to look for a tissue and he grabbed my hand away. He didn’t want me to see it. Why be so secretive?”
“You tested him.” He ticks his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “Why do women analyze everything all of the time?”
“Come on. Tell me that’s not suspicious. All he had to do was tell me it was in there and why. How hard is that?”
“Instead of asking him, you faked a headache to end the date?”
“It felt off...like it wasn’t right.”
“Could this be because of a certain naked werewolf from last night?” He purses his lips. “He gave you flowers. He took you to see the stars. He drives a Jeep.”
“What does a Jeep have to do with anything?”
“Jeeps are sexy.” He scrunches his eyebrows together.
I laugh.
“What? They are.” He picks his book back up. “You’re in my bed, by the way.”
“That’s the first time a guy’s ever said that to me in such a negative way.” I get up, smiling.
“Well, with your manners, it probably won’t be the last.” He flips a page.
“Good night, Fonso.” I bend and peck him on the cheek.
“Good night, Floozy.” He winks.
“Wake up! Wake up!” Fonso bounces on my bed.
“What are you doing?” I throw a pillow at him.
“We need to go to the mall.”
“Why? With what money?” I sit up. “I hate shopping unless absolutely necessary.”
“I have an interview and I don’t want to go alone. They called last night and with the whole gun thing, I forgot to tell you.”
“Oh, well then I’ll go. Give me a few minutes.”
“That’s all you have.” He leaves, shutting my door behind me.
I had slept later than I planned. Forgoing the shower, I throw my hair up in a ponytail and hurry out to see Fonso chomping on cereal. He shoves the last bite into his mouth and sets the bowl into the sink. “Good, let’s go.”
“Are you late?”
“Maybe a little.”
“For an interview? You’re insane.” I laugh, grabbing my bag. “Where’s the mall?”
“Twenty to thirty minutes away, close to the coast.”
We pile into the car. “What are you interviewing for?”
“Some small gimmicky store. You know, the ones that sell all the gag gifts.”
“I don’t go to many malls. I try to avoid them at all costs.”
“You have no sense of style, do you?” His smile fades. “Who will I shop with if I can’t convince you to go with me?”
“First of all, you should be saving your money. Second, who
did you shop with before?”
“Nadya was my partner in that department. I bet she’s upset I left. She has no ride now, other than Emilian and he’s too selfish most of the time to take her any where.”
“Does she know?”
“Know what? That I’m gay?” He nods. “She’s the only one who understood. Emilian didn’t even know. He’s too wrapped up in his make-believe world to pay attention to anything or anyone else.”
“Make believe?”
“Isn’t that what you thought about the werewolves? They are fantasy, right?”
“They called him their mascot.” I recall Colin’s words. Colin— My thoughts go in a direction I’m not sure I want them to. I cut them off before I start thinking too hard or deep about him or my feelings.
“That doesn’t surprise me. He never knew how to make real friends. Then again, Ma never really wanted us too.”
We pass through town. Colin’s truck is parked in the corner lot.
“Speaking of the Devil.” Fonso spots it, too.
He slows down as we pass the barber shop. Colin stands outside with Riley, Brayden, Kayla, and an older man. “What are they doing?”
“Remember when I told you to watch them?”
Colin sees me, and his jaw tightens. He turns away, pretending to look in a real estate office window.
“Yeah?” I say.
“They take money from people, Elysia. I told you they weren’t good.”
“That’s not right. It can’t be. He wouldn’t—”
“You’re seeing it now. That old guy owns the barber shop.”
I watch the three of them leave the shop counting money in the rearview mirror. “Why?”
“Extortion. They do it to Jared at the bookstore, too. They claim they are protecting the town and all the people in it. Everyone needs to pay them a fee.”
“How is this happening in this day and age? This is something from the mobster era. Why doesn’t he report it?” Colin... stealing. He doesn’t seem like he could do something like that. No one around here is what they seem.
“This town doesn’t have its own police department or sheriffs. They rely on the neighboring town’s sheriff department, who’s more concerned with drug busts and patrolling the coast than a small hick town near the psychic capital of the world.”
“I’m in shock.”
Fonso remains silent throughout the remainder of the ride to the mall.
I wait by a fountain while he goes into the store for his interview. A tidal wave of disappointment overcomes me when I think about Colin and how he avoided eye contract while his pack extorted money from an innocent man. It made me think about Roger and if he’s one of the victims. Should I ask or would that bruise his ego? Would Kyle know about it? The way Kyle yelled at him for almost running me over...he probably has no clue.
“All done.” Fonso sits next to me.
“And?”
“I got the job. They will work around my bookstore hours on the weekend, so I can keep that, too.” A prideful smile lights up his face.
“Congrats!” I hug him. “How could anyone not want to hire a catch like you?”
I see Nadya and Emilian coming toward us.
“Told you I’d find them,” Nadya says.
“Oh, great.” Fonso sighs. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Ma sent us to find you.” Kayla holds her hand out and Emilian puts five dollars in it. “Emilian didn’t think you’d be here.”
“Dude, why do you ever bet against her?” Fonso stands, backhanding his shoulder in jest.
“I don’t know.” Emilian says. “I didn’t think you’d be at the damn mall.”
“We go to the mall all the time, doofus.” Nadya rolls her eyes.
“You found us. What does Ma want now? I’m not moving home again.” Fonso twists his head, beckoning me to leave with him.
“She wants to invite you and Alice to dinner. She wants to make things right.” Nadya explains. “How can you leave her like that?”
“This from the girl who wants to be on her own?” Fonso gives her a half-smile. “Oh, I want to be like you, Cousin Alice. I want to be on my own.” He mimics Nadya’s voice well.
Nadya sticks her tongue out at Fonso. “That’s not me at all.”
“Are you coming or not?” Emilian asks. “I have places to be.”
“Like with your wolf buddies, robbing the townspeople of their hard earnings?” I ask, the words coming out in a flurry of madness before I can stop them.
“What? No. They don’t...” Emilian begins.
Nadya and Fonso stop and leer at him.
“It’s not what you think.” Emilian says. “They have to.”
“Right.” I say. “You tell Colin that I don’t want to see him again, and to keep that crazy bitch away from me.”
“Let’s go.” Fonso says.
“Are you coming to Ma’s?” Nadya asks.
Fonso looks at me and I shrug. This is up to him.
“Fine. We’ll come for a few minutes and that’s all. She has to get to work later.” Fonso says.
“Can I ride with you, then?” Nadya asks. “ Emilian’s truck stinks.”
“Does not!” Emilian yells. “Whatever.” He storms out of the mall in a different direction.
I feel guilty. Emilian didn’t deserve to be snapped at over the company he keeps. I shouldn’t have been so nasty, but I was angry over Colin’s criminal and immoral actions.
We drive to Aunt Mirela’s house, Nadya filling us in on all that’s been happening. Aunt Mirela’s been a wreck over Aunt Simza and Fonso; her clients aren’t coming in for as many readings; Nadya’s been stuck at the house with no one to talk to. Her incessant blabbering made me want to stick my head out the window. As much as I enjoy having a female cousin, she really needs to get a job, and some friends. She’s a lot like her mother, but she would hate me if I ever told her that.
“We’re here.” Fonso announces to stop Nadya’s complaining.
I follow Nadya inside.
“What’s happening?” Nadya asks.
Aunt Mirela stands next to Emilian, somberness plastered on their faces.
She holds out her hand revealing a black stone.
Emilian does the same. “It was in my truck.”
Fonso walks in, the same worried look on him. “This fell out of my visor.” He holds up another black stone.
“What do they mean?” I ask.
“It means our time has run out.” Aunt Simza stands in the doorway, holding the same stone up. “They’re coming for us.”
Chapter 16
An eerie silence falls over the room. It’s the first time I’ve been around my newfound family when they have nothing to say.
Aunt Simza enters the home and sits on the couch. It’s the closet I’ve been to her. She doesn’t look at me. She stares blankly at the corner of the room, where a plant sits on a stand.
Nadya pulls out a table chair and plops into it, a tear forming in her eye.
Fonso and Emilian stand side-by-side, arms crossed, as if they were two statues guarding the room.
Aunt Mirela sits next to Aunt Simza. She pats her hand.
“This is her fault,” Aunt Simza breaks the silence. “She brought this to us.”
“She’s Lyuba’s daughter,” Aunt Mirela says. “She’s family. You know this.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Aunt Simza replies. “She’s brought bad luck.”
“I’m standing right here.” I wave. “Can someone tell me what or who is coming for us? The significance of the black stones?”
“It means we have to leave,” Aunt Mirela explains. “That’s all it means. We have to leave. Together and tomorrow.”
“We’ve never gotten black stones before.” Fonso throws his stone onto the coffee table. “It’s a warning from them.”
“Them who?” I ask.
“We’re not sure who they are.” Aunt Mirela sighs. “It’s an old superstition, nothing more. We just need to
move and stick together.”
“You’ve told us tales when we were younger, Ma. This wasn’t a joke then. You said if the stones showed up, the family disappeared. Vanished. Never to be heard from again.” Fonso paces in the tiny living room. “Now you say it’s a silly superstition.”
“I should have left the moment I saw you.” Aunt Simza glares at me. “We would have been safe here another ten months or so had you not shown up.”
“What is your problem with me?” I ask. “I came here looking for you because I was given a note with your name on it. Some loving family I find. You shut the door in my damned face when I needed someone most.” I point my finger at her. Heat rises within me and thunder booms in the distance.
“We are not the enemy.” Aunt Mirela shakes her head. “We need to stop fighting with one another and work together to solve this. We pack up and leave in the morning. That’s what we have to do.” Aunt Mirela stands. She looks around the trailer. “We can’t take it all. Pack only the necessities and we take what we can fit in Aunt Simza’s trailer, Fonso’s car, and Emilian’s truck. No furniture. Just the basics.”
“I ain’t going with you.” Aunt Simza stands and heads toward the door. “I can’t.”
“Simza!” Aunt Mirela grabs her shoulders, turning her around to face her. “We are family. We stick together. We need each other to survive.”
Aunt Simza lowers her head. “I know, damn it. I know.”
Aunt Mirela’s mouth forms a tight smile. “We will get through this. Join another carnival?”
“Is she coming?” Aunt Simza nods in my direction.
“Yes, she’s coming. We are all leaving together.” Aunt Mirela looks around the room at each one of us. “Pack all you can, meet here in the morning at six. We head north.”
An aching uneasiness forms in the pit of my stomach.
Aunt Simza nods and leaves.
“See, we will be fine. Aunt Simza is coming with us. We will get through this.” Aunt Mirela brushes her skirt, smoothing out the few wrinkles. “I need to make some calls.” She looks at me. “Cancel appointments and such. Fonso, help your cousin pack. You both are welcomed to come back tonight and stay here, if you want.”
“We’ll be fine. See you in the morning.” Fonso motions me to follow.
Magic After Dark: A Collection of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance Novels Page 46