The Dark Proposal (The Claire McCormick Trilogy)

by Megan Cashman

  He then leaned over and wrapped his hand around Claire’s. “But I have faith in you and in myself to not let what happened with Henry to happen again.”

  He was confident in his beliefs, but Claire could not adapt to it. She could feel the shivers going through her as she reflected on Daniel mentioning how fun it was for him to hunt whomever he wanted and do whatever he wanted to those people. He clearly seemed to miss those days, and was frustrated with living even more underground thanks to technology. Was this what he wanted from her? How could she enjoy an existence of limitations when he said there were none not too long ago?

  Wait, what was she thinking? She could never enjoy being a vampire! Killing people, even while being careful - whatever that meant - would not bring joy to her. Where was the pleasure in killing someone in her?

  She glanced up and saw him watching her. Definitely reading her mind as well.

  “Claire,” he said sternly. “The laws don’t allow humans to know about us. What usually happens is that when a human rejects becoming a vampire, or knows too much, they become prisoners of the Brothers until the day they die - and the Brothers are very good at hiding their prisoners.”

  “And what will they do to me?”

  “First they will do what I am already doing: kill those around you to make you realize you could’ve saved them had you said yes. We don’t respect human blood ties because we have our own. Second, you will become nourishment for the Brothers. Meaning, they will feed off of you until you somehow die. It’s easier to do that than hunt every night. They’ll also have you as a slave in every sense of the term, and I will not be able to stop that. Basically, Claire, only you could save yourself and your loved ones, if you agree to join me.”

  She was feeling numb in all aspects of her being. He had told her so much about himself, the vampire world, and his insistence that she be like him. He also had warned her that she would face torture and suffering by a group of vampires she only learned about that moment.

  After a few minutes, one of the coffee shop employees walked by and told them the place was closing in a half hour. That made the two of them get up and leave. They walked down to the corner and waited, waited for the other person to make the next move.

  Finally, Claire dared herself to speak, though she kept her head down. “You said you love me.”

  Daniel put his fingers under her chin and lifted her head. “You know I do, or else I wouldn’t have told you all this. Or proposed that you join me for all eternity rather than suffer for years to come.”

  She let out a shaky sigh. “There is still a lot to think about. A lot to go over.”

  “Understandable. You aren’t as desperate as I was.”

  “Let me go home to figure all this out. Please give me time.”

  He paused before saying, “Okay. But let’s meet Saturday night. I know a place we can go to, so you can…absorb everything.”

  “All right, let’s do that,” she said, too quickly. They looked at each other for a minute. Daniel reached out and ran a single finger through her hair, before leaning down to give her a short, gentle kiss. He then squeezed her shoulder and turned to head for the bus that took him to the city.

  Claire watched him go until he disappeared in the horizon. She then relaxed and let the tears well up in her eyes before closing them so they could flow.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  “You can’t do that!” Samantha cried. “Are you crazy?”

  It was the next evening, and the three girls were preparing dinner after a long day. Claire had just come home from the college while Monica had another day substituting. Samantha spent the afternoon at a job interview that didn’t go very well. Added to Claire’s announcement that she was going to give Daniel another chance, she was not in the best mood.

  Claire stirred the macaroni and cheese in the pot, not looking at either of her roommates. “We met last night and talked things over. He admitted to being a jerk and said he was sorry.”

  “Sorry my ass!” Samantha slammed the forks she had in her hands on the table. “He hurt you, both physically and mentally! What are you thinking?”

  “He hurt her?” Monica looked confused as she poured the soda. “Since when?”

  The two other girls stared at her, remembering how she suddenly forgot everything Claire told her about Daniel. Claire wondered if it was best Monica didn’t remember what she had told her.

  “I exaggerated,” she began. “The truth is, he did grab me but didn’t beat me up or anything like that.”

  “Whoa, wait. You made up that he hurt you?” Samantha narrowed her eyes.

  “Yeah, I did. I just was angry at him.” She turned around and went back stirring the pot.

  Samantha went over to her and put her hands on her hips. “First you say he hurt you, then you say you made it up. That’s not the Claire I know. So, tell me, and refresh Monica’s poor memory. What is going on?”

  “I just told you,” Claire felt her aggravation rise. “We had a fight, things got nasty. But he contacted me the other day and we met last night to talk things over. He apologized. I’m willing to give him another chance.”

  “But what about your arm? You told us he nearly tore it off.”

  “I made it up!” Claire snapped. “Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to have dinner.”

  In a huff, Samantha went back setting the table. Monica looked unsure of what to do or say next. Claire just kept stirring, an angry look on her face.

  Dinner was tense, with Monica talking the most about substituting for a kindergarten class. The other two showed interest, but avoided directly talking to each other. Cleaning up was done in silence.

  While Monica took a shower and Samantha watched TV, Claire went into her bedroom to complete one of her assignments. She didn’t come out until the next morning.

  For the next two days, she worked at the school and on her freelancing. She went to the coffee shop to do the latter in order to avoid Samantha’s glares mixed with disgust and concern.

  During this, Claire felt like she was living an out of body experience. Her meals tasted different, her hearing was off, she saw things in different colors, but she refused to admit all of this. She believed things would work out for the best, somehow.

  Even at the college, Nancy noticed something was wrong. The secretary took her aside once, pointing out that Claire was acting like a space cadet.

  “You just bumped into your desk twice in one hour,” she said. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yes,” Claire got defensive. “I’m fine.”

  Nancy could only shrug. Ever since Claire pointed out how unfriendly she was to Daniel whenever he came into the office, Nancy had been keeping her distance. Claire knew she was missing those times when she would chat with the older woman, but she didn’t know how to admit to her that she was right about Daniel.

  She continued to exchange texts and phone calls with Daniel. They mostly chatted about their work. Again, she was a rock for him as he voiced his annoyance over his students slacking off before finals. These students had come far, he said, and they should have the strength and will to put up with the last two weeks of classes. As for next semester, he will again have two introductory English classes, but it was looking as if he would get the Intro to Playwriting course. When she suggested they celebrate this chance, Daniel turned it down as it was not yet official. However, he did have a place they could go to Saturday night. His friends, Hilde, Michel and the Brooklyn trio, would be there. All she had to do was wear dark clothes to fit the scene.

  “Is this one of the Black Roses’ goth hangouts?” she asked over the phone.

  “Something like that,” he said.

  On Saturday, Claire was doing one of the weekly chores by cleaning the bathroom. Monica was vacuuming, while Samantha dusted the furniture. Both Samantha and Claire kept things polite but distant. Whenever she looked as if she wanted to confront her, Claire would turn away. She knew it was immature, but she didn’t want to hear what
Samantha had to say.

  Finally, while Monica went out to get the mail, and Claire was making tuna fish sandwiches, Samantha took her chance. “Look, you can’t go on avoiding me like this. How more childish can you get?”

  “I’m not being childish; you’re irritating me.” Claire refused to face her.

  “Well, you’re irritating me by your childishness. I’m only doing and saying what is best for you, Claire.”

  “Since when did you become my mother?” she growled.

  “Oh God!” Samantha rolled her eyes. “Don’t do this, please! We’ve been good friends for four years, and now you’re going to throw it all away because I am worried about you?”

  “There’s nothing to worry about.” Claire sighed and looked at her. “Like I said, Dan and I are working things out. We’re going to spend time together tonight, and it may make or break us. Anything is possible. Now, please let us be!”

  “Okay,” Samantha hesitated. “Okay, fine. If that is how it’s going to be. I just hope you know what you’re doing after all that’s happened.”

  Claire was about to retort when Monica came back in, her hand filled with envelopes. She darted her dark eyes back and forth between the two before sticking her hand out. “The bills are in. Who wants to take a chance?”

  For the rest of the day, the three roommates kept their relations civil. The only time they seriously spoke to each other was when one of the daughters of their landlords stopped by to tell them about her mother’s funeral next week. The three then gathered at the kitchen table to wonder about their future. Samantha wanted to move, and so did Monica. But they were concerned over who would take three underemployed tenants.

  “I’ll see what happens between me and Daniel. If it works out, I’ll move in with him,” Claire told them.

  Again, Samantha narrowed her eyes. “Wait a minute. Didn’t you say that he somehow was involved in Theresa’s murder?”

  Monica jolted forward in shock and that made the other two gasp. “Whoa, was I not here when this all happened?” she said. “I mean, was I on another planet when Theresa was killed?”

  Claire patted her arm. “No, I said that because I was angry at him. I do strange things when I’m pissed at someone.”

  “Really?” Samantha snorted. “That’s news to me.”

  “This is all news to me,” Monica looked pale. “I feel like I’m going nuts. I don’t remember you saying anything bad about Daniel. It’s like you and Samantha know something I don’t!”

  The other two got quiet and decided to focus on calming her down. Monica wasn’t losing her mind, they told her. The shock over Theresa’s death made her forget several things. The murder was making them do strange things too, and she was not alone.

  That night, Claire was applying her makeup in her bedroom. As she watched herself put on black eyeliner, she felt like pinching herself. She rarely wore black makeup; what was she doing? She looked down at her black pants and frilly black top. She felt so awkward wearing one color.

  Once she was ready, she texted Daniel that she was on her way. As she left the apartment, she walked past Samantha, who was also getting ready to work another shift at the sports bar. “Um,” she said.“Theresa’s funeral is Tuesday, not tonight.”

  “Sam, please don’t start,” Claire said as she put on her coat, which was also black.

  “I’m not. But it’s weird to see you dressed like this. Where are you going?”

  “I don’t know. Dan said it’s some goth hangout. I guess his friends who are in that band are performing there.”

  “Okay,” Samantha shrugged and zipped up her boots. She offered to walk with Claire to the bus stop.

  As they walked, they were quiet at first, watching their breath form in the cold early December air. Once they arrived at the spot, Samantha suddenly said she was sorry.

  “I know I’ve been difficult these past few days. I wasn’t like this for the hell of it, but I was and am concerned. But if this is what you want, between you and Daniel, then I’m here for you.”

  Surprised, Claire looked at her and saw she was biting her lip nervously. “I honestly don’t know what will happen between Dan and I, but I’m glad whatever does happen, you’ll be okay with it.”

  Samantha gave a relieved smile and squeezed her hand. Claire squeezed back and the two exchanged knowing looks.

  The bus came soon after, and the two got on. Samantha got off three stops later while Claire took it all the way to the ferry terminal. She made the boat in time and rode it while sitting near a window, trying to make out the lights against the dark sky.

  When the ferry docked, she found Daniel was there waiting on the other side. He was also dressed all in black: leather jacket, jeans, and a button-down shirt with the first two undone, exposing his chest. Although his pale skin glowed against the dark attire, there was something sexy about his appearance. Maybe it was because he looked so mysterious dressed as he was.

  They kissed hello and Daniel ran his curled fingers down her face. He then took her hand and walked her out to the street. Instead of taking the subway uptown, he hailed a cab. “The club we’re going to is a bit out of the way,” he told her as they got in. “It would be best to do this than do a lot of transferring.”

  “So we’re going to a club? A rock club?”

  “It’s a club as in only certain people are allowed in. But don’t worry, I’ll get you in.”

  During the ride, Claire searched her mind to figure out what sort of club Daniel was taking her to. He had never told her he was part of some exclusive organization, so this was definitely something new about him. What could it be? As the ride went on, she could feel flutterings in her stomach - but not good flutterings. They were the ones that made her almost shake with tension.

  They arrived on Lower East Side, to a place with a red-painted exterior, along with fake black cobwebs and painted crosses decorating it. Loud heavy-metal music thudded from inside. They approached the bouncer, a big, burly man who looked bored. Daniel teased him for not looking enthusiastic enough, and he laughed and slapped Daniel on the back. “It’s been a while! Where’ve you been?”

  “Teaching a bunch of brats,” was the reply. “I could use some relaxation.”

  The bouncer laughed again and noticed Claire. “Ah, some fresh blood tonight?”

  “She’s with me. It’s her first time here,” Daniel put his arm around her shoulders.

  The bouncer accepted the payment and gestured them inside. Walking in was like going through the openings of one of the haunted houses Claire went to while growing up. There were black walls with black light bulbs faintly shining in the pathways. She expected a cutout of a ghost or monster to suddenly pop out at her.

  Instead, she started to see other members of this club. People dressed in all black, and some of the women wore very revealing clothes. Couples - opposite and same-sex - made out in the corners as Daniel guided her through the pathways until they reached the main floor.

  It was fairly large, with about sixty people covering the room. Red and black lights lit the place, and there were red velvet seats along the walls. Scantily clad women danced on the platforms dotting the floor as the metal music thudded away. A band was playing, but it was not The Black Roses.

  Claire felt uncomfortable. She was far from living the gothic subculture, and this was not her scene at all. She could have sworn people were looking at her and seeing her discomfort, most likely laughing at her. She looked at Daniel, who was searching the room for the others.

  Trying to shake off her uneasiness, Claire said to him, “I never knew you’d like this type of place!” When he frowned at her, she added, “I mean, I thought you liked softer music and quieter places!”

  He shrugged. “Sometimes you’ve got to let out your wilder side. Everyone has different aspects to them. Oh, I see them! They already got a spot. Come, let’s go.” He took her hand again and guided her through the crowd. Claire kept her focus on following him as the club members st
ared at her. She was a new face to this exclusive club. Plus, she was with Daniel, who seemed to know quite a few people as they exclaimed their hellos and patted his back. As long as she was with him, she would be safe.

  They reached a corner where Hilde, Michel and the three rockers from Brooklyn were seated. Everyone stood up and kissed Daniel. When they got to Claire, she got kisses on the cheek. However, when Hilde approached her, she leaned in to her lips. That made Claire flinch and blurt out, “I’m not drunk.”

  “You’re not?” Hilde replied. “Eh, maybe tonight you will be.”

  They all sat down and began chatting. At first, everyone talked about their week. Daniel and Michel traded professor stories while Yvette, Jessica - or Carys as she’d corrected Claire when they said hello - and Antonius talked about the new songs they had written. Hilde tried to get Claire to loosen up, but she was feeling very shy in this strange place. Daniel didn’t seem to be aware of this, and continued talking to Michel, who was patting his hand a little too much.

  Claire tried not to let it show that she was a bit bothered by that. Yes, this group made no secret they were openly affectionate with one another from the moment she first met them. But now since she knew exactly what they were, was she going to be pressured into as adventurous as them? She was never interested in bi-curiosity, and watching Daniel and Michel be almost absorbed in each other increased her discomfort. Not that she cared what Daniel did anymore, it was just she couldn’t exactly escape this situation.

  She noticed Carys was looking at her, an amused gleam in her eyes. Claire realized she had just read her mind, so she sat up straighter, her downcast eyes looking at the empty table in front of her.

  Empty table? Why was the table empty? There were no drinks or anything on it, like any other club would have.

  She lifted her head and turned her focus to the crowd of people gathered on the main floor. Many of them were holding bottles of beer or cocktail glasses. Yet this group had nothing.