14
Keirah
Keirah had a dreamless sleep that night. However, it was fulfilling, and when she woke up, she felt surprisingly refreshed. Blinking a couple of times, she yawned, scrunching her nose before finally opening her eyes. Dark hazel orbs stared down at her, scrutinizing her.
“You’re not going to kiss me again, are you?” she asked dryly, the events from last night replaying in her head once again. She felt her face heat up as she shut her mouth and feigned another yawn.
“Not unless you want me to, darling,” he said, his voice throaty due to sleep. She furrowed her brow in disgust at the idea and he burst into a fit of giggles. “Yanno, I am glad we, uh, well, I’m glad we did this. You and me … here, hum … together.”
“It wasn’t like I had any choice in the matter,” Keirah muttered, snuggling deeper into his shoulder.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t enjoy it, princess,” he told her, tilting her chin up with his fingertip and forcing her to lock eyes with him. “I wasn’t sure how you would respond when I, uh, well, when I kissed you, but you didn’t disappoint. Didn’t disappoint.” Her blush turned darker and he grinned in glee at this. “Would you like to know why I called you in?” She regarded him expectantly. “Well, I wanted to know if I felt com-for-tahble enough with you to slip into a, hum … a state of vulnerability. As I am sure you are well-aware, humans need sssleep. And since I am currently part of this, ah, species, I need sleep as well. Thing is, I just can’t fall asleep without some sort of security blanket. Someone I can use as a, uh, shield if anyone happened upon us. Someone who wouldn’t try to slaughter me in my sleep. And as I figurrred, you fit the part quite beautifully. Quite.” He leaned in closer, purposefully brushing his nose against hers. “Now, I am going to escape from this wretched lock-up. Oh, don’t worry, don’t worry, my pet,” he said suddenly, patting down Keirah’s hair as though to reassure her. It would seem he had mistaken her anxiety as worry. “I am coming back for you, of course. You are much too fun to leave behind.” His eyes darkened and his fingers coiled around her neck. They gripped her skin but not enough to choke her. “Let’s go.”
Noir slid off the bed, his hold on her slacking as he slipped on his old Converses. He stomped down with his right foot and out popped a blade. “Cops are so … gullible,” he explained as he bent down and grabbed the blade. He turned and lifted his brow as he looked at the young woman watching him, still sitting on the bed. “Well, come now. We don’t have all day.” Keirah hesitated, causing Noir to toss his head back and start cackling. He extended his arm and beckoned her forward with a long finger. “I’m not going to hurt you,” he sing-songed, causing a shiver to slide down her back. “Remember, I love you.” Seeing that Keirah was going to be difficult, he yanked her wrist and pulled her to him, clenching his jaw as he did so. “Now is not the time to try my patience, love,” he told her, his voice dripping with venom as he gently traced the blade down Keirah’s cheek. He immediately noticed her frightened expression and he smacked his lips together, his stare dry. “Yanno, it hurts me that you think I’m going to hurt you. It makes me think that you’re asking for it, that you want to be hurt. Tell me, do ya like pain?”
“You can’t possibly love me,” Keirah murmured dumbly as he turned her body so her back pressed against his chest. His free arm slid around her waist, holding her in her place.
“I know you want to be a psych,” Noir drawled as he inched the two of them toward the door, “but now is not the time to be, hum … analyzing my mental deficiencies. I am trying to escape from here, yanno. I need to con-cen-trate.” He paused and tilted his head down at her. “Now listen to me very carefully, my love.” His voice was just louder than a whisper. “When I, well, when I tell you, I need you to scream, yell, something to get the guardsss’ attention. Can you, uh, do that for me, doll?” She nodded once and he placed the blade against her throat. “Go-ooo-od. One for the money … Two for the, ah, for the show, three to get ready, and here … we … go.”
Keirah yelped as his fingers holding her waist squeezed her side. She could feel his hot sticky breath against the back of her neck, and she let out a yell, hoping the guards would react.
They did. The guards burst the steel door open with their weapons drawn but froze when they saw what was before them.
“Hello, gentle-men,” he said in a conversational tone. “As you can see, I have the bee-you-tee-full Keirah Shepherd in my clutches, and as, uh, as I’m sure you are well-aware, I will not hesitate to slit her pretty little throat right here. Now, before you ask, I want to walk out of the doors, hum ... unharmed. Ya got it?” The guards stood rigid, unsure of what to do. Noir started laughing. “Go on then, call back-up, I know you want to.”
As the guards did just that, he crept toward them until he had nearly reached the doorway.
“While you are wai-ting, I’m going to take my leave now,” he said, slipping out the door. The guards continued to keep their weapons on him, but made no move to shoot him.
When he made his grand entrance into the main office of the ward, everybody scrambled to prepare themselves, causing Noir to laugh again. “It was fun while it lasted, everyone. However, my very, very short attention span has reached, well, it’s reached its peak, really, and I felt I should, hum … take my leave while we were on such friendly terms.” From the corner of his eyes, he saw a couple of uniformed officers trying to sneak up behind him. “Uh, uh, uh.” Keirah could hear the darkness in his voice, could feel his grip tighten on the knife. “Now is most definitely not the time to play hero. That’s the Black Wing’s job, if you asssk me. I am going to walk out those doors with the lovely Miss Shepherd in my arms, and once I feel, hum … safe, I will let her go. Bah-bye, boysss.”
Nobody made a move. They just let the pair walk out the door. Keirah couldn’t see Commissioner Jarrett anywhere.
The brightness of the early morning sun caused Keirah to blink rapidly. He pulled her to the side sharply so the officers wouldn’t open fire on his exposed back, leading her to a nearby deserted alley. He pushed her back against the brick wall, the knife still pressed against her throat. She was scared, but she refused to cry, whimper, or beg for her life.
He looked at her, invading her space. She couldn’t help but follow him with her eyes, feeling the tip of his nose caress her face. Without warning, his tongue slid out from his cracked lips and licked her cheek with a loud slurping sound. Keirah cringed as she felt his saliva on her skin, distracting her from keeping a close eye on him. Seeing her diverted attention, Noir took his chance, dropping his hand and piercing her side with his blade. She cried out in pain, keeling over so her head hit his shoulder.
“I hope that didn’t hurt too much,” he told her, his lips caressing her ear. “Ya see, I had to do it. Not to hurt you, my love, no, no, no. I did it so everyone would know you’re mine now. That’ll leave a scar. Not as pretty as mine by any means, but a scar nonetheless. My scar.” He paused for a moment, inhaling her scent. “Now-ah, I suggest that you, well, that you go see a doctor. You won’t bleed to death or anything but, uh, well, they know how to stitch up wounds pretty well. Don’t worry, I promise I’ll come back for you, my love. I can’t go long without seeing your pretty face. And I do need my security blanket.”
With that, he placed a tender kiss on her forehead and then pulled back from her. She staggered forward and dropped to the floor. And then he was gone.
15
Reese
W-what?” Reese never stuttered, but Henry was so close to her, his dark eyes so cold, that she couldn’t suppress a shiver if she tried. She didn’t know him but had never been afraid of him until that moment. The storm she could smell on him was gathering; she could feel the thunder vibrate through him as he pinned her against the wall.
“Why are you following me?” he repeated, enunciating each word. Scottish, Reese decided. He was Scottish.
“I’m not following you,” she said, forcing her voice to sound firmer than she fe
lt. His eyes held her in place; he could drop his hands from her frame and she’d stay paralyzed.
“Don’t take me for a fool,” he said, his tone dark. She noticed the bottom row of his teeth was crooked, but that didn’t detract from his face, like a scratch on an otherwise flawless piece of glass. “You’re smarter than people expect you to be and I know that. Tell me, Reese, why are you following me?”
“I—” She forced herself to look away, feeling her cheeks turn pink under his scrutiny. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
For whatever reason, Henry looked surprised, like he was seeing her for the first time. He looked at Reese as though she had a really gross, pus-filled zit between her eyebrows. Reese actually reached up to brush her fingers across her brow to make sure nothing was there, curling loose strands of hair behind her ear so the action was justified rather than paranoid. For the first time since she had met him, he looked uncertain, which was … disturbing. Wasn’t he supposed to be sure about everything?
“Let’s not change the subject, Reese,” he said, his nostrils flaring. “Why are you following me?”
Reese knitted her brow together. “Why are you saying my name like that?” she asked.
More shock on his face, but then something resembling resignation or expectation warmed his dark eyes. “Like what?” he asked, loosening his grip on her. If Reese was being honest, she didn’t even think he knew he was touching her.
“Like it’s some kind of spell.” She hadn’t even thought about it until her mouth spoke for her, but she realized it was true. The way he said her name tenderly in his silky voice was like some kind of incantation that nobody knew except him. If they were a couple, she could imagine him murmuring it that way during an especially intimate moment. Not that they would ever be together.
“A spell, hmm?” he asked. He sounded like he was humoring her, but Reese wasn’t insulted. His eyes were twinkling in the same way they had at Phillip’s party when he caught her watching him in the study. “Let’s not deflect anymore, dear.” He tilted his head to the side so some of his hair fell into his face. “Why are you following me?”
“I feel like I know you from somewhere,” she murmured. Her eyes narrowed as they scanned his face, running down his crooked nose, sliding down his cheekbones, then gathered at the base of his round chin. She took in his dimples, his lips, his teeth, but, as always, she returned to his eyes. For whatever reason, she was always brought back to his eyes. They drew her to him. They were the reason she felt compelled to follow him, learn more about him, and figure out just where she had seen him before.
He probably thought she was crazy. Hell, she thought she was crazy. There was no way she could know Henry from anywhere since she had never been to Onyx before her accident and had only met him the first day of school. Yet she couldn’t deny something was there, no matter how one-sided it was.
“I’m flattered,” he said, a smirk breaking onto his face. There were those dimples, shining like the star on top of a Christmas tree. “But I assure you, you and I have never met until that day in the office.”
There was something about his words, something he wasn’t saying …
“Why are you here?” she asked him, tilting her head up in order to lock eyes with him.
“Pardon?”
Did he just say, ‘pardon?,’ she wondered.
“Here,” she repeated. She lifted her arms up in order to gesture, causing him to drop his hands from her arms, releasing her. “The Spirit Museum. Are you religious?”
“You’re very direct.”
“You’re very evasive.” She paused. If she pushed him now, she might not get answers later. Maybe she should just go with this for now. “Will you show me around?”
He gently pushed his brows together. “Where?” he asked.
“Here.”
“If I were to show you around,” he said, the smile back on his face, “it would take up quite a lot of your time. You wouldn’t want your friend to wait that long for you, do you?”
Reese’s mouth dropped open, the sight causing Henry’s smirk to deepen. “How could you possibly know that?” she asked. “There is no possible way you saw us drive in. You were already out of your car. You were already walking to the building.”
“You’re not as stealthy as you assume,” he teased.
But Reese didn’t believe him. The hint that he knew she had been in a coma as he was showing her to her first class, the fact that he seemed to know she was in the library even though she and Gabe were all but silent and hidden, and now, the fact that not only did he know Reese hadn’t come here alone, but that Piper was waiting for her in the car all had to be more than just a coincidence. Maybe the sense that she thought she knew him wasn’t as crazy as she thought. She still needed to learn about him though, and he was being difficult. Maybe pushing would have been the better choice. No matter. She’d have to work for it now, which was fine since she always loved a challenge.
“It’s okay,” Reese said, her lips curling up. “Piper has to finish up some Art History reading. She told me to take my time.”
“Really?” he asked, raising his brow as he looked down his nose at her.
“Really,” she said with a nod. “You can show me around, explain things to me. I’ve never been here before so I’d love to get some kind of tour. You can show me your favorite room or relic.”
“You know,” he said, taking a step toward her so the folds of their clothing were the only things preventing their bodies fully touching. “That cute little act you’ve got going on where you bat your big grey eyes and bob your head so your blonde hair floats around you like a halo, might work on people like Gabriel Burr but it doesn’t work on me. Like I said, I know you’re smarter than that. I actually know a lot about you, Reese, which means I know when you’re lying, even when you camouflage it behind your sorority voice and good looks. Also, I happen to be in Piper’s Art History class and I know there is no reading for the week.”
Reese wasn’t offended by his blunt words. If anything, they intrigued her and maybe scared her just a bit. What did he know about her? How did he know that she was smarter than she appeared? Was he complimenting her? Reese got the feeling that Henry wouldn’t waste his time with trivial words meant to flatter; if he said something, she believed he meant it.
“Why won’t you show me around the museum?” she asked.
“I have things I need to do,” he replied.
“Fine. You go do whatever it is you need to do and I’ll show myself around.”
The look on his face was serious but his eyes sparkled with amusement. “You’ll understand if I don’t believe you won’t try to follow me,” he said. “I’d much prefer to walk you to Piper’s car and make sure you get there safely, especially since it’s raining.”
Reese wasn’t ready to leave just yet, not without some kind of information. She refused to let this be a waste of time. Then an idea popped into her mind and she smirked.
“What about a deal?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips. “I get to ask you three questions that you have to answer honestly. Then I’ll go to the car and leave you to your business.”
“You want to make a deal with me?” he asked, his face lighting up at the prospect. “I’m certain your friend has warned you against doing such a thing.”
“I’m willing to risk it,” she said. She wished she had had time to put on her trusted red lipstick to enhance the curl in her lip.
“And if I can’t answer a particular question?” A quirked brow.
“Can’t, or won’t?”
He continued to stare at her without saying anything but Reese found she could read his eyes with relative ease. His smirk was present, the dimples, the sparkle in his eyes. He was an enigma, and while in this instance she could read his eyes, she had the feeling she would probably never be able to figure out what he was thinking or doing or meant.
“You can pass,” she finally said, “but that means I get to ask you
another one.”
“And what do I get in return?” Henry asked, his eyes continuing to look at her through strands of his dusty brown hair.
“I already told you. If you answer three questions honestly, I will leave you to your business and won’t try and follow you for the rest of today.”
His dimple winked at her. “Interesting choice of words,” he said. Was it her imagination or did it sound like he admired her in that instant?
She shrugged her shoulders. “My mom’s a lawyer,” she explained.
“How do you know I’ll answer honestly?”
“I trust you.” It was true. She didn’t know him, didn’t understand him, didn’t understand the pull he had over her, but for some reason she trusted him. If he was so intent on ensuring that his deal was seen through, Reese had a feeling he would fulfill his end of the bargain.
Her statement seemed to catch him off-guard. His brow pushed together and he tilted his head to the side as his brown eyes took her in, trying to figure her out. It would seem that she puzzled him the way he puzzled her. He was trying to tell if she was lying to him, and he either couldn’t figure it out or realized she was telling the truth. A wrinkle marred the bridge of his nose. He was frustrated; it was the first trickle of emotion that she had seen on his face other than confident self-assurance. She wasn’t sure if she should feel flattered or worried at her ability to inspire such emotion in him.
“That’s a dangerous thing,” he warned her, his tone silkier, darker.
Reese swallowed. “I’ll take my chances,” she repeated, but her voice wasn’t as strong as she wanted it to be.
“I’m not sure if that makes you a fool or extraordinarily brave,” he said.
“Take your pick.”
He smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. He flicked his wrist as though beckoning her before taking a step back. “Ask away,” he said.
Awaken: Book 1 in The Dark Paradise Chronicles Page 11