by A. D. McLain
Artemis pulled on his pants and stepped outside. The cold night air hit his bare chest, but he barely noticed. He surveyed the buildings around him. They were all empty and dark, testament to the sleeping town. In the street, pieces of trash, newspaper, plastic bags and all other manner of discarded refuse blew in the wind. A stray cat scrambled about in the shadows, one of the forgotten in the night. Artemis was momentarily distracted from his perusal of the sleeping city by the sounds of the night’s entertainment, moving about in the room behind him. A low moan was followed by the movement of sheets and slow footsteps. Soft arms wrapped around his waist, and he could feel a face resting against his back. With little effort, he picked up the girl’s thoughts. They were practically screaming at him. The foolish girl was actually indulging in small fantasies about them as a couple. Damn. It looked as if he was going to have to cut this little arrangement short. He couldn’t have her imagining that they had something together. Why did women always have to make more of things than there was? Why couldn’t they just be happy with what was given to them and stop throwing themselves on any man who showed them the least little bit of attention? They couldn’t just enjoy a nice little physical arrangement. No, they had to dream of a future, and once that happened, they became much too needy. It was a shame. She’d been pretty good – not the best, but he would gladly indulge in a little recreation with her again – if it wasn’t for her romantic little ideas. Oh, well, no sense in putting it off. He turned around and opened his mouth to speak, but she quickly pressed her little body against his larger frame and leaned in for a kiss. Lust ran through his veins. Maybe he’d indulge once more. After all, it had been a long time.
He took her to the bed and began to assuage his body’s needs one last time. His expert hands quickly brought her to the precipice as well. He partook of her bountiful offering, taking her breasts and lips with his mouth and burying himself deeply within her body, until his own body cried out in relief. She shuddered beneath him and collapsed, falling quickly into a satisfied sleep.
Quietly, he donned his clothes again and slipped outside. Artemis started walking across town heading towards the room he’d procured for the duration of his stay. It was a good distance away, so he had quite a walk ahead of him. It was always wise to seek entertainment as far away from one’s base as possible, that way, there was less chance of awkward encounters later. As it was, there was a very little chance he’d run into her again.
He walked confidently down the dark streets, exuding an aura of power and strength. Only a fool would risk bothering him. He laughed when a black cat crossed in front of him – bad luck, indeed.
A breeze cold enough to make him shiver blew past and he stopped laughing. That had been no normal wind. The shadows thickened, and a form took shape before him. “Have you discovered anything new?” the voice asked, sounding almost amused.
“Uh, actually, no, not much. I haven’t been able to do much without letting everyone know I’m here.”
“Really? So, what exactly have you been doing?”
Artemis ignored the suggestive tone in the voice. There was no telling what he’d meant by his comment, so Artemis would be better off just trying to answer the question. “I’ve found out what name she’s going by. It’s Nicole Cameron.” It had taken Artemis a while to discover that piece of information. Hopefully it would be enough to appease.
“Wonderful. What else have you learned?”
What more did he want? It wasn’t as easy to find out information as he thought. Who did he think Artemis was? “Actually, seeing as her records were hidden, I had to start by finding out the names of everyone who lived in the building and narrowed it down to likely names. Then I had to look up each one separately to figure out if it was her. I haven’t actually been able to find out anything else, yet, but I will,” he added hastily. “It should go a lot quicker now.”
“That won’t be necessary.” Artemis jumped when a large manila envelope landed on the ground at his feet. “There’s all the information you will be needing.”
Artemis picked up the envelope carefully. “How did you…”
“Maybe if you’d kept your mind on the job at hand, instead of fraternizing with the locals, you wouldn’t need me to do your work for you.” There was no misinterpreting his meaning this time. “I’m not going to just hand it to you. My help only goes so far. If you want the power and respect you deserve, you must do some of the work yourself. Now, do you think you can handle the rest of this job on your own?”
Artemis visibly cringed. “Yes. I can convince her to trust me, to join us. I’ll just need some time. It won’t be easy to get near her in the first place, and I’ll have to be careful with her initially, but I can do this.”
“Good. You’d better be right, if you ever want to assume what is rightfully yours. You need her on your side if you’re going to succeed. No one would dare stand against her.”
“I know what’s at stake.” He bit the words out. He’d heard this same speech hundreds of times over the past century or so. He understood exactly what he needed to do if he was going to take the place of honor and power Richard had held for so long. The very fact that they all conspired to keep her away from him was the biggest slap on the face. He wouldn’t endure any more insults, it was time he received the respect he so rightfully deserved. “I will win her over, and she’ll gladly do anything I ask of her when this is over.”
“See that you’re right.” The words faded and the shadows retreated to their normal condition, leaving Artemis alone again. He hurried back to his room to get some sleep before the dawn. He would need the rest if he was going to put his plans into action. He had a lot of work to do.
7
Nicole finished the last of the week’s assigned readings for class and put away her school things, finally getting an opportunity to look at her library books. Skimming over the stories of Bigfoot and Nessie from the books she checked out the week before, she began reading about Stonehenge. It was one subject she didn’t know much about. The book drew her in quickly, and she put it down with an aggravated sigh when she heard a knock at the door.
Confusion briefly replaced frustration. Who would be knocking on her door at this time of night, anyway? Hardly anyone ever stopped by much past early evening. She briefly considered pretending to be asleep but thought better of it. She should see who it was, it might be important.
Nicole opened the door and discovered David standing in the hallway. He was half turned away from the door, as if he intended to leave. “What are you doing here? It’s pretty late.” She cringed. That was her reaction to his visit? Smooth – real smooth. Now he was going to think he wasn’t welcome. She focused on his shirt, unable to meet his eyes. Irrational fear gripped her at the prospect of him feeling unwelcome, but for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why it bothered her so much.
Nicole forced her eyes up to his face, knowing she owed him that much, even if she didn’t know why.
David was fidgeting, and looked a little uncertain. “I’m sorry. I didn’t even think about the time. I’ll just go.” He turned and stepped away.
“Wait.” She reached out and touched his arm, sending shock waves rippling up her own. How could that simple touch create such a reaction? “Don’t worry about the time, I was only reading. I usually stay up late. What brought you by?”
David shifted his weight and cleared his throat. He couldn’t decide if he wanted her to move her hand or not. It would make thinking a little easier, but then, he would probably miss her touch. Why couldn’t he decide what he wanted? “Actually, I was taking a walk and I thought I might come check on you, make sure you didn’t have any more trouble tonight.” Good, that sounds plausible. I mean, it is plausible. I mean that’s why I came here… sort of.
She narrowed her eyes and grinned broadly. “Are you a stalker?” she asked with mock seriousness.
He grinned back. “Nope.” I’m just a guy trying to keep a promise to your long-dead fathe
r by keeping you safe. Oh, and I have the hots for you, too, by the way. “I just don’t know many people here. And you seem like you could use the company, too. I can go if I’m bothering you.”
“No, It’s not you. I’m kind of difficult to everyone right now. I’m just not much fun lately. I guess it’s hard to believe anyone would want to be around me.”
“You’re the only one I want to be around.”
Nicole smiled slightly uncomfortably and lowered her gaze.
“But then,” he added, grinning, “as I said before, I don’t know too many people around here…” His voice trailed off and he lifted his eyes towards the ceiling.
She laughed. “That’s very kind of you,” she said, the words dripping with sarcasm. “Why don’t you come in?”
She closed the door behind him and hastily smoothed out her hair while his back was turned. “Can I get you anything?” She was already wishing for another excuse to touch him.
“Nah, I’m fine.” He looked around the room, hoping something to say would pop into his head. He really should have thought this plan through a little better. “Uh, have you heard anything about the guys who attacked you?”
“No, but I’m not expecting to hear anything. I know they were probably sent by Rodney Steagel.”
“Steagel?” David’s ears perked up on hearing the name of the man who could be behind the attacks on Nicole. He wished he could get the guy alone for ten minutes. David was surprised when he realized his hands were clenched into fists. He deliberately forced himself to relax, careful not to let Nicole notice that little betrayal of how strong his feelings toward her were becoming.
“Yeah, I took some pictures which could tie Rodney Steagel of Steagel & Co. to some illegal activities. I’m pretty sure he sent those guys to get rid of me.” She finished with a half-smile, proud that she’d managed to say all that without letting her voice crack.
He shook his head. How could someone so young get involved in so much trouble? Then again… "How did you get involved in something like that?”
Nicole plopped down on the couch with a sigh. “If you really want to know…” He nodded for her to continue. “It was basically because of my parents.” She took a moment to swallow down the lump in her throat and continued. “They started a group to fight environmental injustices, specifically from this one company, run by Steagel. He’s been polluting the river, so I was taking pictures of the damage when I stumbled across him and his men dumping toxic waste. He probably didn’t figure anyone would be near the river at this time of year,” she mused. “I just can’t understand how anyone could so willfully destroy the environment like that. We should be taking care of the world, not polluting it. Everyone just keeps destroying the world, and then they’re surprised when it starts to show. They wonder why people get sick, why it’s harder to breath nowadays and why the water isn’t safe to drink. No one takes responsibility for their own actions.
And most so-called environmentalists aren't much better. They’re only worried about the world at the exclusion of the people in it. They use environmentalism to control and manipulate people, instead of trying to make food safe to eat. They claim to cherish nature while ignoring the cycle of life and death that exists in it. Change happens. Destruction happens. It’s unavoidable. Life moves on. But there’s no reason we should haphazardly poison ourselves in the meantime. Everyone is all or nothing, one way or the other, without applying any logic to their arguments. I'm as worried about the birds and fish as the next person, but call me crazy, I'm a little more worried about the people."
“You seem to feel pretty strongly about that the issue,” David said, sitting down beside her on the couch. He was impressed by her passion, and wanted to hear more, much more. He never wanted her to stop talking. She was intriguing, and so passionate. He hadn’t heard anyone else talk like this in a very long time. He hadn’t even known it was possible for someone to feel so strongly about anything anymore.
She was a little stunned. All those years of listening to her parents saying things like that, she’d never realized how passionately she believed in what they’d been doing. It was comforting to realize that maybe she’d been closer to them, to their dreams, than she’d thought. It was almost like having them back with her again. She smiled. “I do,” she said with complete honesty. “I’d like to do something to make a difference. But then, who wouldn’t?”
“A lot of people. To care so deeply is a very special trait. You’re a special person.”
Nicole shrugged uncomfortably beneath the unexpected praise. The comforting feeling remained for a second or two, before it was replaced by guilt. Her parents – they were the special ones, not her. She should have realized how she felt sooner, should have reached out to her parents, helped them with their work. She looked around the room, her critical eye noticing all the picture frames which were turned away or lying flat and had been since her parents’ death. She reached over to the picture frame lying face down on the end table and stood it up. Slowly blinking away tears, she stared at a snapshot Meg had taken of Nicole and her parents last summer. She smiled wistfully. They’d finished moving Nicole’s stuff into her apartment when the photo was taken. Tired, covered in dirt and sweat, the three of them posed in front of a stack of boxes. Blinking harder, Nicole carefully stood the frame upright on the end table and put on a brave smile, only to find David staring at the picture, understanding in his expression. It was the understanding which undid her. She squeezed her eyes closed and clapped her hand over her mouth to keep from crying aloud. Several deep breaths later, she was able to remove her hand. “I’m sorry,” she said, eyes still closed.
“You never have to apologize for how you feel.”
She smiled gratefully. “Thank you.” She opened her eyes, staring down at her clasped hands. “I… my parents died in a car accident recently. Things are getting easier, but sometimes… I still have trouble looking at photographs of them.” She gestured to the overturned picture frames scattered throughout the room.
David noticed the picture frames for the first time. They blended in so well with their surroundings. Several had ornaments, or other picture frames standing in front of them. Looking back at Nicole, he was pleased to see she’d almost regained her composure. She fell right in when he changed the subject to a more mundane topic.
David listened to her talking, contributing to the conversation from time to time, for what seemed like hours. The chiming of a clock marked the passing of an hour and David reluctantly admitted to himself it was too late to continue their conversation, as much as he loved the sound of Nicole’s voice. It would be selfishness on his part to keep her up any later. “I should be going. I should let you get some sleep.” He stood up and walked to the door.
“Um, okay. I appreciate you coming by.” Quickly, she followed him to the door, subduing the urge to touch him. Her breath caught in her throat. If only she didn’t have to let him go. Just having him near was such a comfort. “Good night.”
David smiled and took her hand, kissing her fingers. “Good night.” He had to admit to some satisfaction when she sucked in a breath as his lips touched her fingers. He’d have to remember to thank Mark for teaching him that little move. It was one of his only charming traits, and women loved it. Most importantly, this woman loved it.
Nicole watched as he disappeared down the hall, before closing and locking her door. One little late-night visit from her neighborhood rescuer, and she was putty. How did he make her react so strongly in so short a time? Unable to come up with any real answers to the question, she made her way back to the couch and plopped down on the cushions with a sigh. Whatever this was, it was definitely exciting.
Nicole stayed up a little longer, reading the books from the library, a couple of magazines, and anything else she could find, anything to put off going to sleep. She even allowed herself to think about David some more, but she still couldn’t come to any conclusions about him. Eventually, despite her efforts, sleep found h
er.
She was surrounded by an inky blackness which draped over her like a heavy cloak. Sensations washed over her, but she couldn’t see a thing.
She felt weightless one second and heavy the next. It seemed to be a terrifying roller coaster, one she couldn’t get off. Stray bursts of light appeared, providing brief moments of illumination where she could see her surrounding slightly. She was in a seat, with identical seats to her left side and in front of her. Thunder shook the walls and vibrated through her body. A jagged bolt of lightning cut through thick storm clouds, outside the window to her right.
The sound and the light abruptly came together, drowning out everything else. A steady drumming sound, which made her think of some heavy object hitting metal, surrounded her and she crouched down on the floor between the seats, covering her ears and squeezing her eyes shut to avoid the crescendo.
There were people there, in the darkness. She could hear one of them, a woman, offering soothing words of comfort between deafening blasts of thunder. The woman’s voice was close. She was on the floor, too. In the distance, she could hear people arguing, but it was t too loud to make out what they were saying.
A sensation of weightlessness overwhelmed her again. The floor dropped away from under her. She clung to the arm of her chair and pulled herself back into her original seat. Then, the world shifted again, and her body slammed into the metal frame around the cushion. Her body jerked once more, nearly slipping back to the floor, before the shifting stopped, and she was able to relax. There was another flash of light, brighter than before, followed by a large booming sound. Her body tumbled forward, her head hitting the back of the seat in front of her, before she landed on the floor. She gripped the metal base of a chair as everything shook and screeched around her. Her body continued to shake long after everything else was still.