Midnight Surrender: A Paranormal Romance Anthology

by Abel, Charlotte

  I rolled my eyes. If he came to warn me about his friend, I would let the guy know I could handle myself. “Look, unless you have a death wish, I wouldn’t do something like that again. Flynn’s cool. And although he acts like a pretty boy, his bark comes with a nasty bite.”

  “Thanks, but I can handle myself. Why don’t you tell your friend to back off Mercy,” I said in challenge.

  The guy arched an eyebrow. “Your funeral,” he muttered and walked off. What was that supposed to mean. Did Flynn have his eyes on Mercy?

  Doubling my efforts, I rushed to get outside hoping to reach Mercy in the parking lot before she went home. I’d felt a connection earlier and didn’t want to miss this opening to asking her out.

  Headed out of the locker room door, I felt eyes on the back of my head. Turning, my eyes locked on one Flynn McCallister. Not having time for that, I ignored him and made my way outside. Turning the corner and getting a good view of the mostly empty lot, I saw Mercy on the passenger side door of the redhead’s door.

  “Hey,” a voice behind me said. Turning, I caught a glimpse of Doug racing towards me.

  “What’s up?” I asked, still walking in a somewhat fast pace. I wasn’t ready to turn on the jets. That may make me look a bit more desperate than I was ready to admit. The worst that could happen was I would miss talking to her today and could talk to her tomorrow.

  “Going for it?” Doug asked, about two steps behind me at this point.

  Nodding, I said, “You?”

  Doug nodded, “Hell, yeah. That girl is something else.”

  “Her brother didn’t scare you then?” I asked. Liam could be a bit intimidating.

  “It’s worth it,” the guy said, shooting forward. Apparently, he didn’t care if red saw him as eager.

  I started to run to. But then realized if Doug stopped Maggie, my problem would be solved. Plans however changed when Doug’s friend stepped out of nowhere to stand next to him by Maggie’s car when Doug made it over there. The guy was looking at Mercy. Yet, she was looking at me.

  Jogging, I made the decision to keep her attention on me. Breathing slightly harder than normal, I said, “Hey.”

  How lame was that? “Hi,” she said with a shy smile on her face.

  “Eme,” Maggie called her from the other side of the car. “Doug wants to go get ice cream or coffee. Want to go?”

  Mercy’s body was half turned in the other girl’s direction, giving me a profile view of her entire body. “Yeah, okay. Give me a minute.” Moving to face me, she said, “Sorry about that. Did you want something?”

  Doug and his friend had beaten me to the punch. Asking her out now might not be the best idea. Maybe she liked that guy. “I was hoping you could help me with our math project.”

  Was that surprise I saw with the flicker of movement in her eye? Was she hoping I would have asked her out instead? “Sure, tomorrow?” she asked.

  “Okay, after practice we could go to the library and then I could take you home.”

  Nodding, she said, “That’s cool. See you tomorrow then.”

  Stepping back, I held out the door for her as she slipped into the car. Doug and his friend were gone. I guess they were getting in their own ride. Closing the door, I gave her a salute. Giggling, she waved. Did I really just do that? A salute. What the hell was wrong with me? This girl had me so confused.

  ****

  Getting up early, I spent longer than usual in the bathroom getting ready. I already got a knowing look from my mom. Fiddling with my hair in the mirror, I looked at the clothes I decided on. Tilting my head back, I wondered what the heck I was thinking. It was just a girl. I didn’t even know if she was into me for certain. Shaking my head in disgust, I headed out the door. But first, I took a second look.

  Grabbing my favorite baseball cap, I headed downstairs.

  “Who’s the lucky girl?” my mother asked.

  “There’s no girl, mom,” I said.

  “Look at you. You spent extra time this morning getting ready. There’s a girl. I should tell your father.”

  Groaning I rolled my eyes. “Dad’s busy with work. Don’t bother him about something that’s nothing.”

  “I hear more about your sister’s life than I do about yours and she’s off in college,” my mother complained.

  “Mom, there is nothing to tell,” I protested. Then I took a bite into a huge cinnamon roll. My mom was a good cook. “You really shouldn’t cook like this. You’ll be the death of us all,” I teased her, trying in vain to change the subject.

  Mom looked up. “Your sister never complains. In fact, she was telling me the other day how the cafeteria food just wasn’t like home.” She continued to talk and, unintentionally, I tuned her out. My sister and my mom could do without my mom’s cooking. But I would never tell either one of them that.

  “I gotta go. I’m going to be late,” I said with the other half of my cinnamon roll in my hand.

  During school, I wasn’t allowed to wear my hat. With my lucky hat on the passenger seat, I sat in my car and finger combed through my hair before I made an appearance. My only class with Mercy didn’t come until after lunch. So again, I wondered what the hell I was doing.

  Getting out of my parent’s old beat up car, I knew another thing that was a must. A job. My dad said that he would match whatever I put down for a new car. After baseball season was over, that was tops on my list. What girl would want to ride around in this monster?

  Finally, after the day dragged on to high heaven, lunch came. Not that I was excited about what the cafeteria was serving. Not with a mother who made everything she fixed taste good. Grabbing a burger, I made my way out of the line and outside to the quad. The sun was out and almost everyone was taking advantage. Mercy was sitting by herself and not wanting to miss another opportunity, I headed her way. She glanced up from a book she was reading with one hand and held half of a sandwich in the other.

  “Mind if I join you?” I asked.

  With a welcoming smile, she said, “Sure, have a seat.”

  Just when I put the tray down, Maggie, Doug and his friend sat at the table with us. I could see in carrot tops eyes he wasn’t thrilled I was here. That was too bad for him. Good for me because Mercy hadn’t even glanced his way.

  “Paul,” Doug said.

  “Doug,” I said back.

  “You know Tim,” he said, eyeing his friend.

  “Sure,” I said with a half nod in the guy’s direction.

  Before I could focus my attention back on Mercy, some of the guys from the team saddled up, tapping me on my shoulder. When I looked around and saw melon boy was with them, I gritted my teeth for what was going to come out of his mouth.

  “Who’s the fresh ‘meat’?” melon boy asked, using a slang term for freshman.

  About ready to call the melon boy out, Maggie beat me to it. “We have names, dickhead.”

  “So, red has fire in her mouth just like her hair. Tell me darlin’ what’s your name?” melon boy asked, faking a southern drawl.

  “Cut it out, Bellman,” Doug said, giving voice to the guy’s surname.

  “Oh Dougie, is she yours? What about her then?” he asked, pointing at Mercy.

  Standing, I got in Bellman’s face. “What’s your problem, Bellman?”

  One of the other guys spoke her name to melon boy. “Ah, Mercy, Mercy, me,” Bellman said holding a tight fist to his heart. The other guys laughed at him, only bringing more attention to us.

  “Dude, leave,” I said, eyeing the guy, ready to make good on the threat I gave with the tone of my voice.

  “Whatever, Bowman. She probably isn’t putting out anyway.” Having said the last word, he strode off with his friends.

  Sitting again, I said, “I’m really sorry about that.”

  Mercy looked more pissed than I thought. “I’ve heard it all.” Looking up, she clarified. “My name. I’m not sure why my mother wanted to torture me from having a normal life.” Sighing, she put her sandwich down. It
looked like she was going to speak until her eye lifted past my face and behind me.

  “Bowman,” a voice said. I recognized the voice. This lunch idea had turned out to be a real pain in the ass.

  “McCallister,” I said, turning in my seat, which was awkward on this picnic style table.

  Luke was standing in the background as usual. The guy didn’t want to interfere but clearly he had Flynn’s back. A girl with shoulder length hair, bright from the sun in some places, dark in others, strode up to Flynn with purpose. She had a reputation for making her way around the starters for every sports team in our school. I guess her presence next to Flynn indicated he was her next target.

  “Are you coming or what?” she asked, her gaze taking him in like he was going to be her last supper. I had to admit the girl was hot and I felt a tiny bit jealous of the guy. Women practically threw themselves at him.

  Nodding, she walked off. Luke said quietly, “Let’s go.”

  Flynn said, “Give me a minute.”

  Luke shook his head and walked off. Flynn turned his focus back to me. Briefly he looked over at Mercy but then said, “Today it will be my turn to pitch while you catch.” Then he walked away leaving the threat for me.

  “What was that about?” Mercy asked. “He’s such an asshole.”

  At least something good came out of this. The look of disdain clearly said she wasn’t into the guy like the rest of the female population here at school.

  “Nothing, just baseball,” I said, not really wanting to explain how this was supposed to be my year. The previous starter graduated last year leaving a vacancy for a pitcher. I was a shoe in until Flynn showed up. The guy could throw and I may end up second to a freshman. If Mercy went for him, that would be the icing on the cake.

  “I just don’t get what girls see in him,” she said. And I smiled.

  ****

  My hand still stung from the few purposeful pitches Flynn threw at me. Knowing I mostly likely deserved it, I didn’t say squat. Instead, I focused on taking a few glances here and there over where the girls were practicing. A few times, I caught Mercy looking back at me. I wasn’t vain, but it didn’t hurt my ego to think that maybe she was into me like I was into her.

  “So, why do you always wear a baseball hat?” Mercy asked, sitting in the passenger seat of my monster mobile. We were headed to the county library because the school library closed before practice was over.

  “It’s a long story,” I said, hoping she’d leave it at that.

  Glancing over because we were at a stop light, I could see she wanted to press me more. However, she didn’t and I was grateful.

  It was a personal story. One that ran deep and wasn’t something I liked to talk about. In time I may share, but I was just getting to know her. When the light changed to green, I hit the gas a little too hard and glanced over at her to mutter an apology.

  Nodding her head slightly to acknowledge me, she continued as if that hadn’t happened. “I guess it helps that you look really cute wearing it,” she said, boldly.

  That had my eyebrow arching. She smiled and looked away. Was I moving too slow? I would have never guessed her to speak so freely. Tugging the hat off my head, I hooked it on her. “Not as cute as it looks on you,” I said, giving her my best grin before focusing my attention back on the road.

  Thinking my hair was packed down on my head from the cap, I ruffled a hand through it. When the library came into view, I wasn’t sure if I was happy or sad. She’d clearly given me an opening, but what the hell was I supposed to do with it.

  Not normally a patron of the place, I was shocked by how full it was. Not quite standing room only, but most of the tables had people sitting at them. We managed to find one towards the back, which in a way was good.

  “So, what are you having problems with?”she asked, getting straight to business. She still wore my hat, and I wanted to kiss her for looking so cute in it.

  My mouth opened to answer her question and I stopped myself. I didn’t want to lie to her. I wasn’t clueless in the class but to admit to using it as a way to get her out with me might not go over well. So I found truths in the statements I made. “I wasn’t sure the best approach to the question. I mean there are clearly two ways to look at it,” I began and launched into my two theories. Studiously, she listened and clearly got what I was talking about. It then became easy between us as we worked through both approaches talking about the pros and cons. But working with her, we were able to come up with the best solution and a good attack on how I should approach the paper. I, along with the rest of the class, didn’t understand why we had to write a paper in a Math class, but go figure.

  We decided to do the library thing again in a few days to see how things were going. She was also planning to share her project too. It was hard to believe that a beautiful girl like herself was so approachable and down to earth. She didn’t seem to have one vain bone in her body.

  “Ready to go?” I asked, reluctantly. We’d outlasted many of the other people who had been there or come after we showed up. I was afraid they’d start turning off the lights.

  “Sure,” she said.

  After she told me where she lived, I had a couple of options on how to get there. One would take a little longer than the others. Let’s call it the scenic route. Being that I wanted to extend our time together, I drove that way.

  When we passed the last of the town and deep into suburbia, my monster coughed and died. Rolling to a stop, I was grateful we weren’t on a major road stuck in the middle of traffic. Where we were, no one had yet to pass.

  Closing my eyes, embarrassed that we maybe be forced to walk, I put the car in park for no other reason than habit and got out.

  Cursing, I said, “I’m sorry about this,” before I closed the door. Lifting the hood, the light was fading in the distance. I would need a flashlight to see pretty soon. Looking up, I noticed the unnatural clouds rolling across the sky like wild fire. Their rapid appearance turned off the lights as easy as a switch. Slamming the hood, I got back in the car. Mercy sat quietly as if she read my mood and knew better than to speak.

  Scooping my phone from my pocket, I hit the button several times with no response. “Does your phone work?”

  “No,” she said. “I tried while you were looking under the hood.”

  “That’s strange,” I said more to myself. “Did you notice how fast the clouds rolled in?”

  Looking out the passenger side window, she said, “Yeah that was weird.”

  We studied each other. Neither of us wanting to admit how freaked out we were. So I made a joke. “You think we will see crop circles using trees instead?” I asked because the woods lined both sides of the road. “Maybe a spotlight on the car before we are lifted into a spaceship.”

  “If that happens, I am going to find the first Stargate and dial out. I think I remember some of the patterns from the last show I watched.”

  That had us laughing until a creepy howl came from somewhere outside the car. Considering the windows were up and we were laughing, yet we heard the eerie sound loud and clear, sent a chill up my spine. Swallowing, I said, “You heard that.”

  Fear in her eyes had me shrugging off my own. I couldn’t wimp out. All of this was my fault. I felt like I’d driven into a bad horror movie. “It’s probably nothing,” I said. Looking at my dead phone that acted as if it were out of charge, the last of the blue sky was covered. Without the moon, we sat in utter darkness. In vain, I tried to find light in the car from the overhead, from my phone, and from a flashlight under my seat. Nothing.

  “I guess I could walk back to town, it’s not that far,” I suggested, not really relishing the idea.

  Her hand reached out and caught mine. It trembled. “I’ll go with you.”

  Hearing the fear in her voice, I said, “Okay.” With the howling, I didn’t want to leave her alone. But staying there didn’t seem like a good idea either.

  Opening our doors, we stepped out into the awaiting
darkness. At the back of the car, I caught her hand, when all hell broke loose.

  A crashing, like something really big was smashing through the tree line, sounded to our left. I didn’t bother with the car. It wouldn’t protect us from the unseen danger behind us. “Run,” I called out. With our hands interlocked, we did just that.

  As we ran in the direction of the library, something flew by us going towards the danger. A deafening roar resounded against what sounded like a voice. “Die you dirty bastard.” I shouldn’t have heard that. I couldn’t place the voice but it sounded female. With the other noise from the ‘dirty bastard’ that had come through the trees, it was impossible to tell for sure. Looking back didn’t shed any light on what was behind us. A loud thud sounded and the pounding of earth shaking footsteps started to get closer. Whatever it was, it was big. In only a few steps, it sounded as though it was upon us.

  Mercy was quiet, keeping up with my pace. When I sped up, so did she. “Tasty snacks, I do like a chase before I eat.” The voice was gravelly, as if the thing had a mouthful of rocks.

  Quiet Mercy turned and screamed. Something whacked us from behind. The force of it sent us up in the air to crash onto the ground several yards away. Mercy lay still a few feet away. Using my arms, I crawled over to her, heedless of the danger behind us.

  “Guardian, you are no match for me,” the gravelly voice chided. The whispered threat it’s only disturbance in the air.

  Uncaring, only my need to get to her held my attention. I reached her and from her wrist, I could feel her heart beating. There was a thud and we began to get pelted by earth. Bits of dirt rained down on and around us. Protectively, I covered Mercy’s body with my own, fearing larger or shaper pieces would come.

  And it happened, the earth shook and more of it rained down on only me now. Larger pieces hit my back until one hit my head. Before, I succumbed to the nothingness, a bit of light lit up the field like dawn.

  ****

  Jerking awake, I sat up and got to my feet. What the hell? The clock read a little after midnight. Picking up my phone, I knew it was late. However, I had to know if she was okay. Texting Mercy, I asked if she was sleeping.