Love, Alchemy

by Eden Ashley

  Kali rolled her eyes heavenward. Rozzy laughed into the cereal bowl. Kali cleared her throat. “Um, you guys, I know tonight is usually when we all go out together, but I have my own plans this time. And I really want to use the car.”

  A mixture of surprise and relief briefly crossed their faces. “Do you and Callan have a date?” Lisa asked.

  “No. We broke up.”

  “Again?” Lisa made a sympathetic noise. “You two will work things out.”

  “I don’t want to work things out.” She gave them the same excuse she had given Cal. “He’s going off to college. He should have a college girlfriend.”

  “So no more Cal and Kali, huh?” Greg slapped his knee. “That’s a smart decision. Good for you.”

  Lisa stared woodenly at her husband. “Don’t be so insensitive. Honey, what happened? Do you want to talk about it?”

  All three of them fixed their eyes on Kali and waited expectantly. Rozzy had no idea of the reputation her sister had gained during high school. At the end of sophomore year when Kali’s rendezvous with boys had dramatically increased, Rozzy had already left for college. It was amazing how fast a great social status could be reduced to cinders.

  “Ah…no. I don’t want to talk about it. I would like some time alone though. I thought I might catch a movie tonight.”

  “That’s sounds great. Why don’t you two girls go together?”

  “Uh, actually…” Kali began to protest, intending to reiterate the “alone” part of her statement.

  But the Metts weren’t having it. They seemed eager to get their girls out of the house. “Kali, you don’t need to be alone at a time like this. You and Rosalyn should go together.” Greg pulled out his wallet. That caused Rozzy to pay closer attention. He proffered a single bill. “Here’s fifty bucks. Get dinner afterwards.”

  Rozzy grabbed the money without hesitation. “Thanks, Dad!” She turned to Kali with a wink. “It looks like it’s you and me, sis. I’ll go get my shoes.” Then she bounded up the stairs.

  Greg and Lisa stood looking at Kali expectantly. “Well, why are you still standing here? Go have some fun.”

  Kali sighed, already knowing her night would be anything but fun. “I need car keys.”

  “Oh, right.” Greg searched his pockets. “Go ahead and take my SUV. It’s Friday. All the weirdoes will be out, and I want you girls to be safe.”

  Barely able to contain her disbelief, she took the keys from his outstretched hand. She had been expecting to get Lisa’s ride. Greg never let them drive his luxury car unless he was in it. They weren’t mature enough, he always said. But if Greg wasn’t thinking those things now, Kali certainly wasn’t about to bring them up. “Thanks!” she exclaimed, grinning with an appreciative nod.

  “Let’s go, Roz!” Greg turned and shouted toward the stairs. “Don’t make your sister wait for you. It doesn’t take two hours to put shoes on.”

  When Rozzy finally reappeared, they were each given more kisses and shooed toward the door. Greg made a fatherly suggestion, muttering in Rozzy’s ear, “Maybe if you kept your room a little cleaner you could find things with less difficulty.”

  “Whatever, Dad.” Rozzy rolled her eyes. “I’m almost twenty. Cleaning up a room is for babies.”

  She went out the door ahead of Kali. Both girls aimed for the driver’s side of the BMW. Rozzy got there first. “Give me the keys,” she demanded.

  Kali shook her head. “No way. Get in on the other side or walk it.”

  Rozzy yielded with a furious pout and made a point of checking her watch as soon as they were both in the car. “What time does the movie start?”

  “Not until nine,” Kali said. “So we have plenty of time. It’s one of those low budget flicks. Finding a couple of seats shouldn’t be a problem.”

  “Should be even easier to find one, then,” Rozzy scoffed. “Make a right up here.”

  “What?”

  “Make a right.”

  Kali obediently put the blinker on. “So, what are your plans for tonight?”

  Rozzy winked suggestively. “Tim Holden.”

  Kali’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding me. Tim Holden? Isn’t that guy like, thirty? Greg and Lisa are going to kill you.”

  “They’re not going to find out.” She stared at Kali sternly. “They’re not going to find out, right?”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  Following the rest of the instructions her sister doled out, Kali steered the SUV into a decent looking apartment complex. She gave it a once over. “Tim’s not bringing in the big bucks as a hot shot doctor yet?”

  Rozzy got slightly defensive. “He’s paying off student loans.”

  “Right,” Kali agreed, resisting another barb. She didn’t want to start a fight.

  At the gate, Rozzy supplied the code. Kali punched it in and drove through slowly, careful not to hit the curb. She had barely found a parking space before Rozzy was jumping out.

  “Pick me up at midnight, loser. We’ll make it home by curfew.”

  “Since you’re staying in, how about giving me the cash that was meant for both of us?”

  “Oh yeah.” Rozzy fished in her pocket and pulled out a crinkled bill. After handing it over, she started walking toward the building.

  Kali looked at the money. Then she hastily hit the button to put down the window. “Hey, this is a ten!”

  “Keep the change,” Rozzy called over her shoulder and ran into the arms of an average looking, nearly thirty-year-old man that didn’t give the impression of being able to pass a high school science test, much less a medical board exam.

  Shaking her head, Kali pulled away from the odd couple. Two of Greg’s tires scraped against the curb as she drove through the gate.

  Chapter 3

  The movie wasn’t expected to be a blockbuster, but something had gotten people excited. The theater was full. Noise of the crowd circulated with the smell of various artery-clogging foods. Kali’s stomach growled resentfully. She considered making a last minute dash to the bathroom and concessions stand. But the previews were ready to start, and there was no one to save her seat. So she didn’t. Sitting on the front row with her neck stuck at a ninety-degree angle for two hours was no way to enjoy a movie.

  Dimming lights cued everyone into silence, except for the businessman walking up the stairs. “All what noise?” he yelled into his cell phone. “Oh, we got a lot of guys here working on that project.” He sat down two rows behind Kali. “I’ll be home real late, honey. Don’t wait up. Love you too.” As he ended the call, a brunette with humongous implants bounced up the stairs. She took a seat next to him, and the two started kissing.

  Wow. Kali made a face. But I’m hardly one to throw stones at anyone.

  When her eyes zeroed in on the walkway lined in orange strips of light, she knew it was going to be that kind of a night.

  A mountain of a man had walked in looking as if he were mad at anyone that didn’t eat for a living. His steps were slow and deliberate, to carefully balance the giant tub of popcorn resting on a stomach too big to be real. Long, dirty locks of hair fell around the remnants of what used to be a neck. Sweat stained the armpits of his grey t-shirt that bore the self-mocking phrase: “Don’t Stare.”

  He stood at the bottom of the stairs surveying the limited options for seating. It was very unfortunate that the chairs on either side of Kali were empty. She clung to hope. There was no way a man of his stature would climb so high and risk stressing what was probably already a diseased heart. Her optimism was expunged by the sinking feeling that settled in her gut. The sensation was similar to the one Kali got when she looked down while brushing her teeth, only to realize her toothbrush was still in its cradle. There were few things more unsettling than introducing thousands of someone else’s bacteria into her body. So, the very idea of King Tub’s sweaty body inadvertently touching her while reaching into his bucket of popcorn incited a gag reflex.

  “Crapola,” Kali muttered. The man had locked
eyes onto the seat beside her.

  He climbed the stairs, glaring at Kali the entire time. At first, she thought she was being paranoid. But there was something about this man’s unflinching gaze that made her skin crawl. An improbable idea occurred to Kali. It seems like he was looking for me.

  She averted her gaze but still felt his eyes on her. He reached the row where she sat, wriggling his girth down the aisle until he almost stood directly in front her. He wasn’t even a little out of breath. “Is this seat taken?” he asked.

  Maybe it was the angle, but the question had been directed at her boobs. Meanwhile, Kali was at the exact eye level of the man’s gut. His shirt was slightly too short, giving Kali a peek of the happy trail running up his belly.

  This is payback for every fat joke I’ve ever made. Thank you, Universe.

  She tried to muster up a smile. It fell short, crash landing somewhere near a grimace. Craning her neck for a nicer view, she looked up and lied. “Yes, it is.”

  The man snorted rudely. “Well, I don’t see anyone sitting here.”

  Kali forced life into her limp smile. “As usual, my boyfriend is late. But he should be here any minute.” She checked her phone for added sincerity.

  “Well, a pretty little thing like you shouldn’t have to sit all alone in the dark and wait for him,” he said, ignoring the hint. “How ‘bout I keep you company until he gets here?”

  Nearly recoiling in horror, Kali swallowed a bit of regurgitated food that bubbled up into her mouth. It tasted like the pizza she had eaten for lunch. She collected her nerves, determined to handle the situation like an adult. “No,” she stated firmly. “Sir, I don’t want a strange man sitting beside me when my boyfriend gets here and—” Kali faltered but raised her voice to cover it. “Please remove your hand from your groin when speaking to me.”

  A satisfied grin came to his face and then broadened, spreading like every other part of his body had. “I’ll put my hands wherever you want me to,” he whispered so that only she would hear.

  Kali’s calm adult approach flew out the window. She’d had enough of this guy. “How about you put one finger in your mouth and the other in your—”

  Soft fingertips brushed her cheek, leaving the rest of the insult forgotten. Though the caress lasted only for the briefest moment, her entire body tingled in the aftermath.

  Someone said in a low voice, “Sorry I’m late. I found you as soon as I could.”

  Kali was speechless. She turned to see who it was, but not enough light came from the screen. One thing was certain. It wasn’t Cal. He would have had no idea where she was, and Cal hated going to the movies. Most importantly, Cal had never been able to make her feel that way with a single touch.

  The mysterious newcomer and the perverted fat guy stood on each side of Kali. They were the hero and the villain facing off for the beautiful maiden. The stranger’s voice was low and steady. “Would you find another seat please? This one is mine.”

  The big man wasn’t as courteous. “I was here first, pretty boy.”

  Kali could see nothing past the two men, but the credits were rolling. She could tell by the music. Her would-be rescuer was causing a scene that was going to make her miss the opening. Bit by bit, her edginess began to return.

  “I won’t ask again,” the stranger said. His tone was level but held a hint of something dangerous, barely restrained beneath the surface.

  The fat man reconsidered. Turning away, he moved back toward the end seat of the same row and paused as if to sit there. But the hero hadn’t moved. He stood watching the villain’s retreat with a tranquility primed to explode. Taking the hint, the fat man abruptly climbed up to the next row. He grunted as his bulk sank into a chair and the busty brunette he’d sat next to let out a startled yelp. Her date night with the businessman was officially ruined.

  Kali allowed herself a small smile. Whoever this stranger was, he had killed two birds with the same stone.

  The seat beside her was soundless as he claimed it. And so was Kali. In the dark, she hadn’t been able to make out many details. He wasn’t vertically challenged, and he didn’t look that much older than she was. College age perhaps. And he had nice hair. Appearance aside, anyone or anything would have been better than her previous option.

  The stranger shifted, leaning over until his mouth was within a millimeter of her left ear. He spoke softly, his lips brushing against some serious nerve endings, “Is this seat taken?”

  With a nervous shiver, she blinked long and slow, savoring the low and sexy quality of his voice. Then she edged away to put at least an inch between his lips and her ear. If he touched her like that again, Kali was very likely to embarrass herself. Just as she was about to answer his question, the room brightened with light from the illuminated screen. What Kali saw made her jaw drop.

  If an eighty-year-old grandmother had been sitting next to her when this guy had shown up, Kali would have politely asked the old lady to move so the stranger could sit down. He was absurdly good looking. Silver lighting accented every perfect line and angle of his face. Several locks from his thick mass of hair fell idly across his forehead, slightly curling at the ends. There was softness to his features that suggested he could be a keeper.

  The stranger returned Kali’s stare with an intensity that took in every part of her. But his eyes never left her face.

  Realizing she had been staring at him stupidly for far too long, Kali struggled to find something to say. “I’m…” She cleared her throat. “It’s yours.”

  He finally looked away. Whatever tied her to him was loosed, and Kali pulled her gaze away. They didn’t speak again for a long time, but Kali was constantly aware of him. She kept stealing furtive glances in his direction because the sight of him was more enthralling than anything the movie had to offer. Growing bolder, Kali watched him from the corner of her eye at increasingly longer intervals. Apparently, the stranger was not as bothered as she was. Relaxed in his seat, he sat observing the screen with languid interest, doing a pretty good job convincing her that he’d forgotten anyone was beside him. Kali was so immersed with watching him, and was completely startled when he spoke.

  “It’s not polite to stare,” he murmured softly without taking his eyes from the screen.

  Kali jerked and turned away. But she wasn’t fast enough and was mortified to see the beginning of a satisfied smile appear on his face. She slid down into the chair, grateful for the darkness that concealed a blush spreading across her cheeks. From then on she tried to concentrate on the movie. But it was useless. She gave up and watched the screen absently, all the while thinking about the guy sitting next to her and how he probably thought she was an absolute dork. She didn’t get it. Boys never had this affect on her. For the past two years, it had always been them falling helplessly at her feet.

  A mutated mix of human and creature launched itself from a quiet scene, growling and snarling into the camera. Several audience members jumped in surprise, and Kali was one of them. She made a noise that sounded like a strangled bird.

  “Do these things frighten you?” the stranger asked. He was clearly enjoying her discomfort.

  Kali cleared her throat. “Why would they? This stuff isn’t real.” This time, she didn’t look at him.

  After a long moment, he spoke again. “Right,” he slowly agreed.

  Chapter 4

  The end credits rolled and Kali bolted straight for the exit. Looking back as she took the stairs, Kali saw the stranger had yet to rise from his chair. Everything about him was perfectly stationary, except his eyes. They tracked her every move. Beneath that unsettling gaze, her skin warmed. Her stomach fluttered. A bizarre sensation percolated in her fingers and toes. It was like nothing she had ever felt before.

  Gasping as her foot missed the next step, Kali stumbled wildly down four more before she caught herself on the railing. She wanted to die. The room and everyone in it became a blur as she sprang back to her feet. Taking the remaining stairs two at a time, K
ali shoved through the double doors that opened into the hallway. She didn’t stop until she reached the restroom and locked herself inside. Leaning against the sink, Kali tried to slow her breathing. She had never felt so stupid in her entire life.

  She lifted her head. The person she saw wasn’t her. This girl was trembling. Her pupils were dilated, her cheeks flushed. Kali was suddenly very hungry…and not for human food.

  “This shouldn’t be happening,” she whispered.

  Pressing her forehead against the cool surface of the mirror, Kali brought her hand against the glass. “What are you?”

  It took some time, but she eventually regained enough composure to face the world again. When she cautiously stepped into the corridor, it was downright deserted. No one, not even a theater worker, was in sight. Kali was relieved. At least if she made a fool of herself again, nobody would see it.

  Kali made for the exit, and immediately got the impression of someone watching her. Half expecting to see the stranger having another laugh at her expense, she whirled around. No one was there. Why am I so jumpy? Relax.

  But as she went outside, her anxiety only multiplied. She blamed it on the dark and crossed the parking lot as quickly as possible, searching for the car keys as she did so. Kali shook her purse and heard them jingle somewhere near the bottom. “Come on. Come on,” she said nervously. Someone or something was out there.

  What if it’s the wolf again? Kali almost squealed aloud at the thought. Then she shook her head. She was being silly.

  “I’m going to have to give up scary movies,” she muttered.

  Clenching the keys in her fist, Kali closed the distance between herself and Greg’s SUV in four long strides. It was the only vehicle in sight. She climbed inside and promptly hit the door locks. Exhaling deeply, she started the ignition and vaguely wondered why the smell of stale popcorn filled the interior.

  Maybe it’s the dumpsters. Her stomach rumbled, and Kali remembered that she had yet to have dinner. She glanced at the clock. There was time enough to grab something from a drive-thru before she needed to pick up Rozzy. A gruff whisper came from the back seat, interrupting her thoughts of fast food.