by Alix Labelle
He was reduced to sitting in his car outside of her house as she locked the door behind him and shut him out of her life. He watched the house as closely as possible, only getting out to check around the back every twenty minutes.
Chapter Eight
It was around midnight when Callie realized that she wasn’t going to get to sleep again. She couldn’t stop thinking about what Darren had said to her. She just couldn’t bring herself to believe him, though there was something in his face that made her want to.
The sound of meowing came from the landing. Callie jumped out of bed and rushed for the door. As soon as she opened it, she found Sammy waiting on the other side. His tail wagged with impatience, and he slipped into the bedroom, wrapping himself around her leg. She dropped down onto the floor and took him in her arms.
“Oh, Sammy, I was worried about you,” she told him as she clutched him tightly to her chest. Then she realized that she was crying. She hadn’t even known just how scared she was for the little creature. Her heart pounded, light with relief as he head butted her forehead and purred into her ear.
“You are a good boy, Sammy,” she told him as she tickled his stomach and rubbed his ears. He squinted his eyes with pleasure and rubbed himself all over her as though he hadn’t seen her for a year.
She stood up with him still in her arms and placed him on the bed. As she dropped down next to him, her mobile began to ring on the bedside table. When she picked it up, she saw that the number was unknown. Her heart stopped as she tried to decide whether she should answer it or not. When she finally did, she didn’t say a word. Instead, she listened. All that she could hear was the sound of the other person breathing. It was a low, deep sound that sent shivers running through her.
“Leave me alone!” she screamed down the phone before she threw it across the room. It shattered against the wall as she felt tears stream down her cheeks. Her heart pounded almost out of her chest.
“I need to get out of here, Sammy.” She jumped up suddenly and rushed for the door. Sammy mewled behind her as though he thought it was a bad idea. She ignored him and raced down the stairs. Unlocking the front door, she stepped out and locked it behind her before heading to her car.
A short drive would clear her head, and then she might actually be able to sleep. She could see Darren in his car across the street. His lights turned on as soon as he saw her climb into her car. She sighed and adjusted the rear view mirror before pulling the car off the drive.
As soon as she began to drive away from the house, she began to feel better. The control she felt when driving was what she wanted in life. She wanted to be able to control what was happening to her and make everything go away. Having a little control over her car made everything feel the slightest bit better, even if it was only for a little while. She could see Darren’s headlights shining through the back window of her car and knew that he was following her. She was frustrated by the fact. She just wanted to be left alone for five minutes without needing to worry about him or her attacker or anyone else for that matter.
After going around a few corners, she reached the end of town and carried on into the small country roads beyond. The darkness of the countryside was calming to her, and she needed that right now. She picked up her speed, in the hopes that she might be able to lose Darren, and found herself whipping around corners and roaring down straight roads.
Her heart pounded with exhilaration, and she was glad that for once it wasn’t because of fear. The excitement of being out on the road was enough to banish all her thoughts for a while, and, for a short time, she could just be herself. She could almost imagine that there was no attacker and no need to worry, and she could just concentrate on having a little fun.
Then it appeared on the road in front of her. The huge, black beast loomed in front of the car with blazing amber eyes. It reared up onto its back legs, and Callie’s hands spun on the steering wheel. She screamed as the car careened off into the ditch. Her neck whipped, and her forehead hit the wheel as the breath was forced from her lungs. The smell of burning hit her nostrils as she blinked blood from her eyes.
The bonnet in front of her burst into flames then. She began to fumble for the seat belt in an attempt to get out of the car. When she pressed, she found that the belt wouldn’t release. Her heart stopped as she realized that she was stuck.
“Help!” she screamed. “Someone help me!” She glanced around her in the hopes that the bear would be gone. She began to scream as she saw that it had come up to the passenger side of the car. It glared at her through the window, looking eerily calm as though it knew what was going on, and it was just going to sit and watch.
All of a sudden, her car door was pulled open. Darren appeared beside her. He leaned over her and grabbed hold of her belt, pulling until it came free. “Put your arms around me!” he ordered her. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he put his arms under her and pulled her from the wreckage.
“It’s ok,” he told her as she wept against his shoulder. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
“The…the bear,” she whimpered, unwilling to look for the creature again. Darren jumped out of the ditch in an almost inhuman motion with her still in his arms before he placed her on the grass verge.
“Don’t move,” he ordered her as he pulled off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
When he turned away from her, Callie could see the bear. It stood in front of Darren with its teeth bared, saliva dripping from its jaws. There was no fear in Darren. His shoulders squared, and he seemed to make himself look bigger.
Callie watched in amazement as he began to change. For the first time, she knew he had been telling the truth. His body twisted and turned, and he looked as though he was in pain. Within a few moments, in his place, stood a huge golden furred bear. He stared at the other bear, and a growl erupted from his throat. Callie watched in amazement as he lunged at the larger bear with his jaws spread wide. The other bear dodged out of the way and then lunged toward him with his teeth snapping at his throat.
Callie’s throat clenched and her heart stopped as she watched the two cling to each other with tooth and claw. Blood splattered the stone road beneath them as they tore at each other’s fur. Callie was all too aware of the huge red wounds that were appearing on Darren’s sides and neck. She forced herself not to scream out to him for fear that she might distract him. She knew from her time watching animal documentaries that if he was distracted it would all be over.
Her hands clutched the ground so hard that grass came away in her fists. She stared at the two bears as they circled each other, ready to pounce again. The huge black bear lunged forward, but Darren dodged it. Callie gasped as his jaws came up to grip the other bear’s throat tightly. She could see every muscle in his body tense as he tried to hold on to the larger creature. The black bear let out a stifled shriek as Darren bit down harder. He shook his head from side to side with the bear’s throat still in his jaws. Callie watched the light die from the black bear’s eyes as Darren threw it toward the ditch on the other side of the road.
Then suddenly as though he had realized it was all over he collapsed onto his side with a loud thud. Callie jumped to her feet and found herself rushing toward him. Her heart pounded as she dropped down onto her knees beside him. It was strange to have her fingers in his fur knowing just who he was and what he was. She had never in a million years imagined that she would be here.
“Darren!” she screamed as she shook him, trying to get his eyes to open. He turned in front of her again, and she felt his fur turn to fabric. Something warm dripped down onto her hand and when she looked she saw that it was blood. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked down at him again and saw that his wounds were bad. He was bleeding from several bites on his chest and stomach, and he had huge, gaping claw marks on his face.
Crying, she pulled his head up onto her lap and leaned over him. “You saved my life.” She wept as she watched his eyes flicker with pain. She was shaking fro
m head to toe, and she felt as though she might pass out, but she knew that she couldn’t leave him alone.
“Callie?” he croaked suddenly, and Callie’s heart fluttered with relief. She opened her eyes to see him looking back at her. His arm moved slowly, and he reached up to place his hand on her cheek. Warm blood streaked her face as his hand slipped back to fall on the floor beside him.
“Darren, I’m here,” she told him quickly. “Stay with me. I’ll call for help.” As she said the words, she realized that she didn’t have a phone. She remembered dashing it against the wall in her bedroom, and she wanted to smack herself for being such an idiot.
“It’s ok,” he told her as he reached up again and took hold of her hand. “I’ll be ok soon.” Callie couldn’t believe him. There was a puddle of blood gathering around him, and Callie could feel it seeping into the knees of her sweats.
“Darren, you’re hurt bad,” she told him. “We need to get you some help.” He shook his head quickly before shrinking in pain. Callie hated to see him like this. She hated herself for not believing him. She should have left with him when she had the chance. She could have stopped this from happening if she had just listened to him.
“Callie, don’t cry.” He sounded a little stronger as he reached up and wiped her tears away with his thumb. “I’m going to be fine.” In that moment, Callie realized that he was right. Before her eyes, his wounds were healing. They were knitting together, shrinking until there was nothing left but blood smeared on his skin and holes in his clothing. She gaped at him in amazement.
When he finally sat up and turned to her, she was amazed to see that the claw marks on his face were gone. Instead, his handsome face seemed to glow with happiness as he smiled at her. He knelt up in front of her and took her face in his hands. “You’re safe now,” he told her before he placed his lips against her forehead. Callie nodded, and she found herself leaning toward him to place her lips against his. Her entire body shivered with relief as she felt his arms come around her. He stood then and lifted her up onto her feet.
“Let’s get you home and call your car in before someone finds us out here,” Darren told her as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and began to lead her back toward his car. Callie felt numb. She had no idea how to react to what had just happened. She doubted that anyone would know how to react. She allowed him to help her into the car and sat staring out of the window at the wreckage of her car as he came around to the driver’s side. I could be dead right now, she thought as he pulled the car away from the wreckage and began to head back the way they had come.
Chapter Nine
They came through the front door just as the first light of dawn began to shine over the horizon. Callie felt relieved to be back as she kicked off her shoes and headed into the kitchen.
“Do you want a drink?” she asked. She had no idea what to say to him. There was nothing normal to say in such a situation, so she tried to forget all about it.
“I could do with a shower,” Darren admitted. Callie looked at him and realized that he was right. His clothes were torn beyond recognition, and there were smears of blood all over him.
“I know how you feel.” She smiled sheepishly at him. Darren stepped forward and took hold of her hand.
“Shall we?” he asked. As she realized what he was asking, she slowly began to nod. He pulled gently on her hand, and she followed him back down the hall and up the stairs.
Her heart thrilled against her rib cage as she understood what was about to happen. Darren led her into the bathroom and flicked on the shower before he turned to her. He placed one hand on each of her cheeks and kissed her lips so gently that she barely felt the touch. He reached for the hem of her top and pulled it up over her head. She did the same for him. When she looked down at his torso, she marveled at the smooth, unblemished skin beneath the smears of blood where the large gashes and wounds should have been. She reached forward and touched his muscular abs, feeling for any sign of damage. There was none. He shivered as she touched him, and she heard him groan deep in his throat.
“Do you hurt anywhere?” she asked as she looked him up and down. He shook his head and smiled at her as he looked her deep in the eye.
“Callie, don’t worry about me,” he told her. “I am completely healed.” She bit her lip to stop herself from arguing. He clearly knew more than she did, and she knew she shouldn’t argue about something she didn’t really know.
He reached for the top of her trousers then and pushed them down over her thighs. As they reached her ankles, she stepped out of them, holding on to his forearms for balance. His smile was warm and seductive as she pushed up onto her tiptoes and kissed him. For the first time, she was not embarrassed at being half-naked in front of a man. For the first, time she wanted to be more than that. He reached around her back and unclipped her bra as she worked on the zip of his jeans. When he pulled on her pants, she stood naked in front of him, feeling his eyes slip down her body. Seeing the gleam in his eyes, she felt sexy knowing that he liked what he saw.
He held her hand and helped her into the shower. The jets pricked against her skin as he stepped in beside her, and the steam enveloped them. In that moment, there was nothing else in the world, just them. They were alone, and nothing else mattered. Darren leaned down and pressed his lips to hers as he held on to her hips and pulled her closer to him. His muscles rippled against her stomach, and she felt his erection press against her. The feel of it made her want him all the more.
In that very second, she knew that this was what she had felt when she had first met him. This was what she had wanted from the very first moment. His hand came down to cup between her thighs, and he rubbed her gently. She could feel herself grow slick for him, and she wanted him then more than ever.
He gripped hold of her buttocks and pulled her up into his arms. She let out a small squeak of surprise and wrapped her arms and legs around him. He was inside her then, moving teasingly slow. Her pleasure burned inside her, tightening in her stomach as she kissed him with all the passion she felt. He groaned against her lips, and she knew he felt the same way.
In the moment of her climax she realized something: I’m safe now.
THE END
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“So where’s your partner in crime this morning, Ella?” Ahanti asked, pouring steaming coffee into the mug that rested on the counter in front of one of her favorite customers. It was unusual to see the older lady alone. She was generally with her best friend Sofia, a tiny great-grandmother who was barely five foot tall and maybe 90 pounds soaking wet. The two of them had made a tradition of enjoying their morning coffee and pastry at Sweet Nothings, Ahanti’s bakery.
“You are never going to believe this,” Ella said. She leaned forward, as if she was about to share a secret, but didn’t lower her voice at all. Ella only had one volume setting, and it was loud. “You know those Antique Roadshow people are in town?”
Ahanti nodded.
“Well, her Felipe went down there. And they filmed him. He’s going to be on the television.”
“Big Felipe?” Ahanti asked with a raised eyebrow. That wasn’t something she’d expect from Sofia’s banker son.
Ella shook her head. “No, Little Felipe.”
“Oh, boy.” Little Felipe was nothing like his father. Ahanti knew the family had pretty much given up hope that someday he’d have enough ambition to be a slacker. “So what happened?”
“He had some baseball cards,” Ella explained. “And on one, an old one, the player was black. Like you.”
Ahanti nodded. “People are really interested in those old Negro League baseball players. That might be worth some money.”
“That’s what the Antique guy said!” Ella was excited. “He had one of those cards. And it could be worth $10,000!”
“Well, you’d think that. But do you know what that malparido said?”
“What’s that?”
Ella looked indignant. “He said, “Well, that is good news because my parents have decided they don’t love me anymore and are kicking me out of the house.” Right on camera, he said that.”
“Oh boy.” Ahanti shook her head. She knew Sofita was not going to appreciate having her family’s business aired like that. “Not that it’s not well past time they made that boy stand on his own two feet, but oh boy.”
Ella nodded. “He has no sense. He is an idiot. And now Sofita is refusing to come out of her house. She says she is too embarrassed.”
“Why is she embarrassed?” Ahanti shrugged her shoulders. “Everyone she knows knows exactly how Little Felipe is. This is not news.”
“But to have him say on television that his parents are putting him on the street…” Ella’s shrug was a masterpiece, communicating all of Sofita’s fears without a single word. “She doesn’t want people thinking they’re that kind of family.”
“I don’t know a family that wouldn’t be fed up with Felipe at this point,” Ahanti said. “He’s what? Thirty-five?”
“Thirty seven,” Ella said.
“I’ll tell you what,” Ahanti said. “I want you to go see Sofita and tell her that I’m making lime tarts tonight.” She waved her finger at the older woman. “And there’s no delivery service for these tarts! If she wants one – and I know she does! – she’s going to have to get her little butt down here tomorrow morning.”
Ella laughed. “I think that may just do the trick.”
There was a loud rumble of exhaust outside of Sweet Nothing’s windows and Ella looked up, eyes wide. “Uh oh, Ahanti,” the older woman said. “He’s back again.”