Gargoyle: A Reawakening (Briarcliff Series, #2)

by Lorraine Beaumont

  “We have got to get out of here.” Adriane shook her slightly, to draw her attention back and then turned to look at Alistair. “Thank you my friend, I will never forget this,” he said sincerely.

  “Don’t thank me yet, it’s not over.” Then Alistair softened his tone, “See you on the other side.”

  “Yeah, I will see you soon my friend. Thank Simon for me as well.”

  “Done,” he said. “Now go!”

  “What about my friends?” Evie asked, suddenly terrified to leave them. She had a feeling she may never see them again.

  “Alistair will look after them,” Adriane assured her.

  “Are you sure?” she asked, searching his face, and then let her gaze drift back towards the other guy. She didn’t want to look at him but couldn’t seem to stop herself. He stared at her coldly, his eyes narrowing, glaring at her. She shivered. He didn’t look like he wanted to look after anyone—actually he looked like he was ready to kill someone and if she wasn’t mistaken that someone was her.

  “We have to go,” Adriane urged again, pushing her forward.

  Evie forced her gaze back to Adriane. “Okay.” She took a deep breath.

  “On the count of three, run as fast as you can, okay?”

  “WH—what, aren’t you coming with me?”

  “Yes, I will be right beside you,” he assured her

  “Promise?” she asked, sounding pathetic.

  “I promise,” Adriane said and then grabbed hold of her cold fingers, squeezing them. “You ready?”

  Evie nodded and held tightly to his warm, strong hand.

  “Okay,” he breathed. “One …two…three…” and they took off, never once, looking back.

  SOME THINGS WILL NOT STAY BURIED

  SATURDAY * 11:59 PM

  “Simon?” Heather touched his arm after the hideous noise had finally stopped. “Simon, what’s going on?”

  “Hold on. Let me think.” Simon glanced around the room, and then his gaze caught hers. She looked like a deer in the headlights. He almost laughed. He remembered that look with clarity…

  “GAH!” Pain splintered through his head, bringing him to his knees, his mind slamming into the past…

  Simon* the Past * 1991

  “Bitches, let’s roll,” Simon, called out to his band-mates. They ran out the back stage door of the Amphitheatre into the waiting crowd. The sharply dressed uniformed driver held the door open on the sleek black stretch limousine, the unrelenting mass of people jostling him back and forth on the side of the building.

  Lola clung to his side, her soft breasts rubbing enticingly against his arm and back, as they rushed toward the car. Simon was the first in the car with Lola right behind. Then one by one, each member in the band jumped into the car, each one followed by a girl clinging to them as well. Vincent had two. They, the girls, were offering themselves up for an evening’s entertainment in the hopes of landing a musician all for themselves. They were groupies, looking for the fame and fortune that came with being with a musician.

  “Vincent man, your chick is missing something,” he laughed, getting an eyeful of her bare ass as she straddled her legs across his drummer’s thighs, trying to sit down.

  “Ow,” he said in mock horror, covering his arm, turning toward Lola, who had just hit him. He leaned forward and seized her mouth with his own, kissing her deeply. She tasted of alcohol—sweet-spiced rum, her favorite.

  “Simon, I love you,” she whispered drunkenly in his ear, snuggling against him as the car came to life, moving slowly through the crowd.

  Pulling away, he stared down at her pretty face. He felt the same way and longed to tell her what he had planned but now was not the time to make such declarations. He wanted to be alone with her to see the expression on her face when he told her he was quitting the band. He had envisioned her excitement a thousand times, toying with the idea over and over in his mind.

  Now, finally, the tour was ending with just one more stop. Tonight he would tell her. Hungrily his lips sought hers again, his tongue delved deeper. How he wished they were alone and not with a car full of his band mates and drunken girls. Pulling away once more he looked into her eyes—he could stare into those deep blue pools forever…he grabbed her hand, squeezing it tightly and she rested her head on his shoulder. Light danced at disjointed intervals outside of the darkened windows as the paparazzi flashed their cameras.

  “Simon, here man,” Vincent coughed out. “Take this.” He handed out a joint to him. Vincent was the bass player in the band and they had known each other since they were just kids. He took the joint and hit it, the thick smoke filling his lungs. Holding the smoke in his lungs he lowered the window just enough. One of the paparazzi leaned in trying to get a shot; he expelled the smoke into his face, laughing hysterically, he pushed the button, making the window shut once more.

  ***

  Cool fingers tapped repeatedly on his arm. Simon tried to focus, his mind slowly merging the past to the present.

  “Simon…Simon…,” she kept saying his name with a strange look on her face. She looked worried but that couldn’t be right, she didn’t even know him, so why would she care?

  Within moments, the pain splintered through his head again and his mind jumped back into the past…

  Simon* the Past * 1991

  “Lola I need to ask you something,” he said as soon as he closed the door to their hotel room. “Lola, I’m serious,” he said, dodging her mouth as she tried to kiss him once more.

  She jutted out her bottom lip, pouting, her startling blue eyes filling with desire. She reached forward and grabbed at his shirt. “Baby, take your shirt off,” she slurred breathily, tearing at the fabric, her long nails scratching his skin as she pulled his shirt completely off. She swung the shirt in the air, the material whipping around her head like a lasso. She released it and it flew from her fingers onto the floor, giggling the entire time.

  Not able to help himself, he reached out for her and pulled her roughly against his body. She burned so bright, he was a mere moth, and she was the flame. Again, and again, he kissed her, caught up in the moment. Her lips were sweet, full…her tongue tormenting him. Slowly she ran her tongue across his lips, sucking his bottom lip, her hand caressing his erection through his jeans the entire time. She knew it drove him crazy when she did that.

  “I need you …now,” she murmured against his lips. That too drove him crazy. Normally he would have already been inside of her, giving her what she wanted, but he wanted to tell her what he had planned. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face. “Lola I have something to tell you,” he said, pulling away and trying to gather her roaming hands in his own.

  “Simon,” she whined and placed her hand back on his erection.

  “Lola,” he said. “I am serious.” He laughed at the look on her face. “Don’t pout at me. I want to talk to you.”

  “Talking is overrated,” she complained, making a grab for him once more.

  “No, you don’t understand. I want to be with you …” he rushed out.

  “I do too,” she said smiling. “Just take your clothes off,” she said, reaching up to unfasten his jeans.

  Taking a deep breath, he pushed her hands away once more. “Lola I am serious. This can wait,” he said, motioning to the bed with his hand.

  She sighed loudly. “Fine. Tell me and then take your pants off,” she said, pulling her clingy shirt over her head, exposing her leopard push-up bra, her full breasts overflowing from the top.

  “I want to be with you all the time,” he rushed out before he lost his nerve. “I have been doing a lot of thinking, and we should be together… for real,” he said, dragging his hand through his already messy hair. “I mean like really together,” he trailed off again. This wasn’t turning out to be as easy as he had thought it would be.

  Lola lifted her hands, shook out her hair, and then pulled it to the side. She walked over to the mirror, leaned forward to look intently at her reflection. Sighing
she leaned back and lifted the glass of alcohol off the top of the bureau and tossed the contents back, swallowing hard. She braced her hands on top and looked at Simon through the reflection in the mirror. “Okay. Sure.” She turned back toward him. “I can… um,” she adjusted her bra strap. “Yeah…yeah… I can quit my job so I can go on the road with you guys. My parents will freak, but who gives a shit what they think, right?” she laughed, sounding nervous.

  “No.” Simon shook his head. “I don’t mean for you to quit your job. I mean…” he paused to take a breath, “I am going to quit the band. So we can be together,” he said, giving her a pointed look. “I am willing to do that for you,” he said with emotion, wearing his heart on his sleeve.

  Lola’s eyes widened.

  Simon couldn’t get the image of a deer in the headlights out of his mind. Why did she look so afraid?

  “Wait—what?” she asked in shock. “No, no, no.” She shook her head.

  Simon smiled, nodding his head up and down, telling her yes.

  “I never asked you to quit the band Simon.”

  “I know you didn’t, which is one of the reasons why I decided to do just that,” he said happily, trying to make her see what he was giving up ….for her.

  “I can’t believe this is happening.” She grabbed her shirt off the bed and tossed it back on, pulling the clingy fabric down over her breasts.

  “I know, it is a big step, but one I am willing to take…for you.” He exhaled and raked his hand through his hair. “Don’t you see Lola—you mean that much to me…?” Smiling expectantly, he walked towards her, knowing that any moment now, she would be overwhelmed with joy.

  Lifting her hands, she blocked him from coming any closer, turned to walk across the room, and sat heavily on the bed. Taking deep breaths, she braced herself on the bed, fisting her hands in the dark blue comforter.

  Simon walked over knelt down on the floor and looked up into her eyes with all the love he felt. “This will be incredible,” he assured her. “We can find a place in the area, maybe near your mom and dad, and we won’t have to struggle at all.” He put his hand on hers. “I have a nice chunk of change saved…we can take our time finding the kind of jobs that we want—not the kind we need,” he said, trying to read her expression. “Hell, you don’t even have to work. You can stay at home with the kids. Do whatever it is that mom’s do. Maybe you could do some crafts or something.”

  “I don’t believe this,” she whispered, staring blankly ahead.

  “I know it’s crazy, right?” he added, feeling his chest starting to tighten.

  “Yeah crazy…” she trailed off, still staring past him at some distant point across the room.

  “So after our next gig,” he said, squeezing her hand, trying to get her attention. “I will tell the guys, and then we can take off and head back home, you know, so you can be close to your family.” He took her silence as acceptance so he continued making plans. “I know how chicks like to be around their mom’s, especially when they are pregnant, so this way we will be close.” He smiled and lifted his hand to push her long hair over her shoulder toying with one of the long pieces.

  Angrily, she batted his hand away. “Don’t,” she warned.

  Simon leaned back on his haunches, clearly confused.

  “Shit!” she railed. She pushed past him to stand and began walking back and forth.

  Simon stood and then sat on the edge of the bed, watching her pace.

  “Un-fucking- believable!” she laughed this time, but it had a hard edge to it. She turned, her hair whipping around her face. “You can’t quit the band!” she nearly screamed. “What are you going to do? Sell cars? Schlep at home depot…?” She didn’t let him answer. “I want more Simon.” She took a breath. “I want a big ass house, nice clothes, and a fancy car. I want to be something other than what I am now,” she argued, getting more agitated by the moment.

  “I thought you wanted me?” His chest tightened even more.

  “Oh, I do,” she assured him. “But I also want so much more…I thought you were the one…the one person I could count on, to give me everything I ever wanted…” She paused and took an unsteady breath. “I’m not that girl, Simon.” She glared at him in annoyance and threw her hands in the air. “Why are you messing up the good thing we got going here?” she asked. Then suddenly, she laughed, it was empty… hollow—bitter. “I don’t want to be your Suzy fucking homemaker, Simon!”

  “I don’t understand.” Simon ran his already shaking hands over his face.

  “You wouldn’t would you,” she sneered. “It’s typical. Men are sooo stupid. I bet you’ve been patting yourself on the back for some time now for thinking that shit up.”

  Simon opened his mouth and closed it. It was true he had been thinking it for some time. It had been a really hard decision, but one he thought she wanted. One he wanted. He didn’t want to be on the road constantly. It was lonely. He wanted more… a wife… kids… a family. Something he never had. He wanted reality—not some misguided illusion.

  The all too familiar tightening in his chest grew. He couldn’t breathe. “Lola,” he said, struggling to find words to make her want to stay…with him. “I don’t think you understand…we can go anywhere you like…maybe somewhere warm?” he asked hopefully. “I just said that before…you know, about going home, because I thought you would want to be near your mom and dad….that’s all.”

  “That’s the problem, Simon! You thought,” she scoffed. “You’re always thinking. This time you thought wrong. There is no way in hell I am going to do that shit.”

  He bit back the words he wanted to say. Ungrateful would have been the first one. Instead, he held his tongue, feeling defeated, confused…hurt. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I have money saved—lots and lots of money. We can do it Lola—the two of us. With you at my side anything is possible.”

  She laughed out a throaty chuckle. “Right…you are fucking insane. I know you. You will want to drag me back to our little deadbeat town, full of losers. Can’t you see…I thought you were my ticket out of that place but nooo can’t do that can you?” she mocked. “No, you want to go back, so you can be a loser too, just like the rest of them.”

  “Lola, that place you hate so much is where we are from,” he reasoned, trying to make her see his side. “It’s the place we grew up… our roots. A place, that maybe, we can raise our own kids someday. It’s our home.”

  “Maybe to you…” she said, and then barked out a laugh.

  “Just think about it Lola,” he begged, feeling desperate.

  “I don’t need to think about it. Where’s Vincent?” she asked looking around the room.

  “What do you want with Vincent…?” he struggled past the lump in his throat.

  “I want him to get me outta here.”

  “So that’s it?” he asked in defeat.

  “Simon,” she exhaled. “It’s better this way. I am not cut out to be a housewife of a normal schmuck. I want to be rich. I want everyone to see I am with a rock star,” she explained. “I thought you were that guy…I thought you were…” she sighed. “ It doesn’t matter. Simon, it’s over. I can’t be with you anymore.”

  “Can’t or won’t?”

  “Does it matter?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said, but it came out sounding more like a whisper of air.

  “Fine. I don’t want to be with you. Happy?” she asked meanly, delivering her final, fatal blow.

  He flinched. It felt like someone suckered punched him in the gut. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. On some pathetic level, he tried to think it was all some big misunderstanding. But it wasn’t. It was the truth. He felt sick and pissed. He wanted to wring her neck. Anger filled his entire body. He had been willing to give up so much just to be with her and she threw it back in his face like it was nothing, like he was nothing. He was a fucking ROCK STAR! He could fuck anyone, anytime he chose and he had chosen her. Only she didn’t want him. Maybe sh
e never did. She only wanted what he could give her. Hot tears stung the backs of his eyes and he quickly dashed them away with his hand before she saw.

  “Lola…” he whispered so low he wondered if he had even said her name out loud.

  “What?” she bit out angrily and turned away from the door.

  “This is it then…for good?”

  “Yeah. It is,” she said quietly, almost sadly, opening the door to leave.

  Simon’s heart lurched in his chest. “Wait…” he called out, his voice desperate. “ Did you ever… love me?”

  She paused with her hand on the doorknob then finally turned. “Yeah. We could have been great, Simon,” she said quietly, too quietly.

  His heart lurched again, somehow still hoping. “We still can.” He couldn’t believe what he was saying he sounded pathetic. He, Simon was anything but…

  “You ruined everything,” she said, stressing the word like it left a vile taste on her tongue.

  All the hurt, anger, betrayal reflected in his eyes as he watched Lola walk out of the door, out of his life forever… “Fucking Whore!”

  ***

  WHAT COMES A KNOCKING

  SUNDAY * 12:13 AM

  Hand in hand, they ran through the darkened corridors of Briarcliff Manor at an impossible speed. The hideous cries from the strange creatures grew fainter, the further they ran away. Unfortunately, their flight for freedom ended much sooner than expected in front of an imposing pair of black doors.

  Adriane stepped forward and grabbed the handles, shaking the doors. They didn’t budge. He ran his hands over his face, letting out a deflated sigh. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” He shook his head in frustration.

  “What’s the matter?” Evie asked, her breath coming out stilted from running so quickly. She didn’t even feel like her feet had touched the ground—it felt like she was running on air.