by H G Lynch
Unexpected Saviour
Ember
It was Friday night, and Ember was bored to death. It had been four days since she’d surrendered to Reid, and she’d barely caught glimpses of him all week. It seemed he was keeping his side of the deal. He was avoiding her, and she was avoiding him. It wasn’t that she missed him, or his arrogant attitude - not at all - it was just that she had nothing to do without plotting against him.
All too much lately, she’d been thinking about that kiss. She found herself replaying it in her head whenever she was alone - and she’d been alone an increasing amount of time since Sherry had been out with Ricky twice more this week - and it was driving her nuts. She hated that she could still feel his soft lips on hers, and the tingles running down her spine. It was maddening to be able to still smell his spiced-apple scent, and feel his fingertips sliding down her back. She could still see the way his eyes had darkened before he’d kissed her, see the delicate cheekbones and the shadowy crescents of his long lashes…
SHUT UP! She commanded her mind, shaking her head violently as if she could shake away the memories. There was something else nagging at her in her subconscious. But every time she got close to tracking it down, it escaped her.
Ember sighed, and flopped back on her bed, puzzled and frustrated. It was late, and Sherry was already asleep - she’d gone to bed early with a headache. Staring at the ceiling, watching shadows move with the shifting of the moonlight sinking through the curtains, it wasn’t long before Ember herself fell asleep, drifting away, still lying on top of her duvet.
***
She was in Reid’s room, and it was dark. The curtains were closed. She was facing the door, but there was someone else in the room, she could feel it. Her shoulder blades prickled with a feeling of being watched. She turned to see Reid, leaning on the desk just like he had been on Monday when she’d burst in furiously. Only now, his shoulders were tense, his fingers curled tightly round the edge of the desk.
“Why am I here?” Ember asked, her voice echoing like it always did in dreams. Reid looked up at her, but his eyes weren’t their usual blue. They were brighter, almost glowing, piercing. It was eerily beautiful. And he looked… haunted. There was something dark behind his expression, something scary in his fine features.
“You shouldn’t be here. I could hurt you.” Reid’s voice was cold and floating; the words almost coalesced into mist and wrapped round her.
“Reid, I’m not scared of you.” Ember let acid seep into her voice. But something inside her told her she really ought to be scared of him.
“You should be,” he replied icily, waving one hand in an abstract motion in the air. She just raised one brow questioningly. Suddenly, the door - which had been open - slammed shut. Something about it was familiar.
The dream cut to a flash from Monday, when she’d noticed the door was closed… She’d left it open when she’d stormed in, and Reid hadn’t had time to close it before she tried to attack him. That was what had bothered her that day, the detail she’d tucked away in the back of her mind.
And then she was back in the dream room, Reid looking at her with a dangerous glint in his eyes.
“Reid, what’s going on here?” Ember asked, confused and irrationally worried about being stuck in this room with him. It’s the darkness, she told herself, the dark is freaking you out. You know his eyes don’t really glow like that, you know he doesn’t really look so… predatory. The shadows played across his face, collecting in the hollows at his temples and under his cheekbones, catching in his fair hair in a way that made her itch to draw him with charcoal pencil.
“I told you. I could hurt you,” he said, his face twisting in an expression that was almost scary. A gleam shone in his eyes and his teeth took on an edge that looked too sharp.
Flashback again. English on Monday, when he’d turned to her and sworn she’d regret humiliating him. He’d had that same scary, almost inhuman expression. She wondered about it then, and she wondered about it now. It frightened her a little. Surely she was imagining things?
But she was back in the dream room with Reid, and he was muttering something over and over. “What?” She couldn’t hear what he was saying. He didn’t look at her; he was looking past her, with blank eyes now. He kept muttering. It was creepy.
“Reid-” She was abruptly flung back to reality
***
Ember was sitting up in her bed, staring into dizzying darkness. What the hell? That was one of the weirdest dreams she’d ever had. It had also felt amazingly real. Her nerves were jangling, and she eyed the corners of the room where the shadows lurked at their darkest. But there was nothing there. Of course there was nothing there.
“Great,” she sighed almost silently. “I’m dreaming about the guy now.” She groaned and drew up her duvet, crawling under it and praying Reid would stay out of the rest of her dreams. What was the point in avoiding him, if he still popped into her mind all the time?
Reid
What Ember didn’t know was that, down the hall, Reid had just had the same dream. Only he knew what he’d been muttering at the end…‘Vampire’.
Sitting up in bed, he pushed his hair off his face, taking a deep breath. His eyes flickered to the doorway, where he half-expected Ember to be standing, glowering at him accusingly. The door was closed, though; nobody was there. The rest of the dark room looked exactly like it had in the dream, exactly how it looked every night. He had no reason to think anything would be different, but he almost wished it were, wished it didn’t look so exactly like the dream. He didn’t like the shivery feeling slithering down his spine. Reid didn’t usually dream, and when he did, it was rarely a good thing. It was a sign of his distress when he dreamed, an indication of his restlessness.
He was starting to think there was problem developing here, but until Ember came to him screaming that he was a blood-drinking monster, he didn’t have to let anyone know. No matter how much he wanted to see her again, he’d avoid her for a while. To keep her safe from his secret. To keep his friends safe from her.
Ember
“Ember? Uh, Ember?” A male voice drifted into her blank reverie. She snapped out of it and looked up to see Joseph Rian standing there, looking sheepish. His dark hair was tousled, and his cheekbones were flushed faintly pink with a blush, but his green eyes sparkled at her.
“Oh, hi Joseph.” Ember smiled politely. She hadn’t realised before that he was in her Biology class.
“Uh, we have to pair up for the microscope slides and I was just wondering if I could partner with you?” Joseph gave a shy, sweet smile and a shrug. Ember looked around and saw that everyone else was paired up already, flipping through their textbooks and chatting quietly at their benches.
“Yeah, of course.” Ember shifted her work over so Joseph could sit down. The teacher handed out microscopes and slides.
“Right. I want you to identify which type of plant is under your slide. Onion cells, pond weed, or fern cells,” Ms. Bowie instructed, slipping back to her desk at the front of the lab.
Ember watched Joseph clip the slide under the microscope and examine it for a moment. “I think it’s the… fern?” he said uncertainly, glancing at her sideways. He moved aside to let her look. She glanced down the scope and adjusted the lens size.
“Mh… I think it’s the onion. See the way the cells are long and thin instead of short and blocky?” Ember smiled lightly, letting him know she wasn’t criticising him.
He took another look and smiled up at her. “Yeah. I see. Have you done this one before or am I just a little slow?” He grinned bashfully. Ember took pity on the boy.
“It’s an easy mistake to make, but I actually have done this before. I did it at my last school.” She dropped her gaze to the desk and fiddled with her pen. She could feel Joseph’s green eyes watching her, and it seemed he was about to say something when the teacher interrupted.
“Ember, Joseph. Have you identified your plant cells?” Ms. Bowie asked, pushi
ng a lock of dark hair behind her ear. Ember looked up and nodded mutely. She didn’t talk to teachers, unless they pissed her off enough to elicit a snarky comment from her. “And?” The teacher turned to Joseph, knowing too well that Ember wasn’t likely to answer.
“The onion cells?” Joseph shot an uncertain glance at Ember.
The teacher took a fleeting glance down the scope and nodded, “Well done.”
The teacher walked away, leaving Joseph looking sheepish, “I guess you were right,” he muttered quietly. Ember smiled and shrugged, and then the bell rang.
“So, uh, I… I was just wondering- I mean, if you’re not doing anything tomorrow night…Would you maybe consider, you know, going out, like on a-a date with me?” Joseph had walked her to her room and now he blushed scarlet, dropping his green eyes to the floor and twisting his hands nervously. He really was very cute, and maybe a night out would do her some good. She’d have to explain to Sherry though; they’d been planning to have a movie night tomorrow.
Sherz would understand, but Ember still felt just a little bad as she said, “Yeah. I’d love to.” Smiling as sweetly as possible. Joseph suddenly lit up like a light bulb, his green eyes almost glowing and his whole demeanour seemed more confident.
“Great. Thanks. I’ll, uh, pick you up here at eight. That OK?” He grinned, running a hand through his dark hair. Ember nodded and blushed as he turned and wandered back down the hall, giving her a glance over his shoulder. A few people lingering around followed his gaze and started whispering. Fabulous. The whole school was going to know she had a date with Joseph Rian by tomorrow afternoon. Then again, that idea had a certain appeal. Maybe if Reid found out, he’d… No. Don’t even go there, she told herself, cutting the thought short. She didn’t know where it was going, but she was sure she didn’t want to finish it.
With a sigh, she turned the door handle and slipped into her room. She dropped her bag on the floor, dumped her textbooks on her bed, and beamed at Sherry. Sherry looked up from her book and raised her eyebrows, apparently surprised by Ember’s expression. “I’ve got a date tomorrow night!”
Friday night at TipTap was interesting, to say the least. A bar packed full of tipsy teenagers and writhing couples on the dance floor, music buzzing from a jukebox and friendly betting at the pool table. Ember was dressed casually in dark jeans and a graffiti-print grey t-shirt, with her best black hoodie and favourite Vans trainers. She had her hair down for once, handy to hide behind when she got nervous or paranoid. And in a crowded bar, with a cute guy, that happened a lot.
They were sitting at the bar, on high stools, overlooked by warm lights and the pretty bartender girl who was polishing glasses behind the counter. Ember was halfway through her glass of coke while Joseph was halfway through his third can of beer. She hadn’t suspected he was a drinker, but as long as he didn’t get plastered, she didn’t really mind. ‘Joey’, as she’d learned his friends called him, was currently blabbering about some Biology homework she must’ve forgotten about and Ember was less than interested in what he was saying. He was a nice guy, but not particularly fascinating. Now, if he was as impulsive or curious as Reid, he might… Stop thinking about Reid! You’re here with Joseph!
“Hey, uh, Ember… Do you want to dance?” Joseph’s voice was almost lazy with the alcohol he’d consumed but his eyes were alight with bashful curiosity. She hadn’t realised she’d been staring blankly at the dance floor for at least ten minutes now. Scantily clad girls were swaying now with various boys scattered across the dance floor, the coloured spotlights beaming down on them from above. The music had turned soft and slow, and Ember tried not to grimace. She couldn’t imagine slow dancing with anyone, let alone with Joseph.
“Oh, no. No, I don’t dance.” She turned to him with a polite smile. Joseph looked relieved and then grinned at her before gulping down the rest of his beer. She let him put an arm around her, not too bothered about it because it was an innocent enough gesture between two people on a date. He said something indistinctly about how nice she smelled. Lightweight, she thought absently, noting the slur of his voice. She let him plant a gentle kiss on her forehead as he traced her arm with his fingertips, feeling just a little uncomfortable. He was warm and smelled good under the faint scent of booze, and he was such a nice guy after all.
He seemed surprised when she suddenly flinched away, gasping. Not because of anything he’d done, but because her eyes had been lingering distractedly on the doorway and someone of interest had just walked in. Reid.
He looked great tonight, his blonde hair tucked under a black beanie, and his slim hands folded in those fingerless gloves of his. It had been five days since she’d really seen him, and she’d forgotten how gorgeous he was, with his high cheekbones and sculpted mouth. Ember was glad at that moment that she couldn’t see his eyes from here, knowing full well how his lovely eyes could mesmerise her - though she rarely admitted it, even to herself.
Joseph was looking over his shoulder at Reid, with something like disgust in his expression. A dark, reflected light glimmered in his green eyes. “Ignore him. He comes here all the time to play pool with his buddies.” Joseph didn’t sound happy about that. Ember just shrugged, tearing her eyes away from the blond bad boy to smile at the gentle dark-haired boy next to her.
Joseph resumed nuzzling at her neck, making her want to squirm away but she tried to enjoy it instead. He kissed his way up her jaw and planted just a tiny kiss on her lips. It felt good, warm and sweet, and she let him do it again. And again, until he decided he wanted a real kiss. His fingers touched her spine and she almost jerked away, remembering how it had felt when Reid had done the same thing when he’d kissed her. She pushed the thought away and let Joseph kiss her, feeling paranoid that people might be watching, but otherwise not minding. It was a tame kiss, slow, calm and gentle - not like the intense, electric kiss she’d had with Reid. It didn’t make her tingle, and she didn’t feel like she was going to abandon herself to the feeling of his lips on hers.
Abruptly, Joseph broke away and looked around with excited emerald eyes. Ember had a sudden wrenching feeling in her stomach, a feeling of impending trouble… and of being watched.
Instinctively her eyes fell on Reid at the pool table, and sure enough, he was watching her. He didn’t look away when she caught him, his blue eyes sending a shiver through her despite the distance. His expression was unreadable, but it was somehow intense enough to make her wish he were the one sitting next to her, instead of Joseph. Banishing that thought quickly, Ember turned back to her date with a brighter-than-needed smile.
“Hey, can I show you something? Come on, I’ll show you something cool around back. But you’ve got to keep it a secret.” Joseph grabbed her hand before she could answer, and started tugging her toward the side door. Behind that door was an alleyway that led round the back of the bar, and something in her gut lurched in protest.
“Wait, I’d rather just stay here.” Ember tried to pull her hand away but Joseph was stronger than he looked.
“Come on, I promise it’s OK. I just want to show you something I found the other day back there. I’ve been hiding it but I think you’ll like it.” Joseph looked like he’d sobered up, calmness returning to his eyes and his grip on her hand loosening a little. She frowned but nodded, looking around nervously. Stop being stupid, She told herself as Joseph led her out into the empty alleyway, You’re being paranoid again, but this is Joseph remember? Sweet, nice guy. Hardly the type to hurt you. She thought the words with a kind of panic, almost willing them to be true. But of course, wanting things to be one way doesn’t make them so.
As she’d suspected, Joseph dragged her around to the back of TipTap, in the pouring rain, insisting there was an abandoned kitten that he’d been looking after. It was dark and dank and stank due to the massive dumpsters shoved against the corrugated metal-plated wall. A chain-link fence blocked off the alleyway to the left of her, and a building formed a solid wall behind the bar.
Un
surprisingly, Joseph pinned Ember to the wall. She’d almost expected that. For God’s sake, this is the third time I’ve been pinned to a wall in the last three weeks. Strange that that was her first thought. Maybe she was getting used to it. What she wasn’t used to was having someone pressing up against her and trying to shove a tongue down her throat. She pushed at Joseph’s chest, and when he didn’t move, she yanked his head back by his hair.
“Joseph, stop it!” She didn’t quite yell the words, too out of breath to yell. Joseph looked furious, a hazy light in his eyes. He slammed her back against the metal wall of the bar and gripped her sides hard enough to bruise. Her head smacked off the wall, sending a lancing pain through her skull. Water dripped down her back, soaking her clothes. Her wet hair fell into her eyes like dripping ropes. “Joseph! Stop! Stop it! Don’t!” she gasped, writhing to get free. His hands were creeping under her t-shirt, his rough fingers scrabbling across her skin, and she felt her mind screech to a halt in the middle of panic mode.
This was so different from having Reid pinning her tauntingly, having other people in earshot just in case. Having Joseph Rian, the sober nice guy, wandering helpfully down the hall. That was a different Joseph Rian than the one currently trying to tug her t-shirt up. Ember got ready to scream, swung her leg up to kick him where it would really hurt. He yelped and fell back, groaning. He recovered quickly, and then snarled. There was a dangerous light in his eyes. He almost looked feral.
Ember bolted right, making for the front of the bar, her scream sticking in her throat. She thanked whatever greater force was out there that she’d chosen to wear Vans tonight and not heels, but she still wasn’t fast enough. Joseph seemed to move at the speed of a racing animal, grabbing her wrist as she ran. He tossed her to the filthy ground easily, and she shrieked. Pain shot up her arm; the rough ground scraped the skin from her hands and elbows. Oddly enough, under her fear and panic, she was just purely furious at herself. Furious that she was so small and so weak. And so stupid to have come here like this with him. She’d known better and ignored her instincts. Idiot!