Midnight Whispers (The Midnight Duology #1)

Chapter 13

13

I tiptoe to the bathroom, the old hardwood flooring groaning beneath my footsteps. No matter how hard I try to shut the door quietly, the darn hinges creak as it shuts behind me. Staring back at me are the dark circles beneath my eyes in my reflection, proof of the absence of sleep I have been enduring for the past few nights.

I did exactly as he commanded, my stranger, but imagined it was his hands bringing me pleasure. His touch left traces of electricity coursing through my veins, stomach drops at the memory of the tips of his fingers grazing over my skin.

When you touch yourself tonight.

Getting myself off has been something I’ve basically always had to do, especially with Parker as my partner. But this stranger did something to me, though. I have no idea what it is, but thinking of him made me feel more turned on than I had been in a long time. I couldn’t help but think what it would feel like if he was the one touching me, pleasuring me.

My god, you need to get a grip.

You don’t even know his name .

I turn on the faucet of the shower, throw my hair up into a bun, and begin to undress. My tattered band tee falls to the ground, landing just in front of me. I step inside the tub and pull the curtain closed before letting the heat from the water rush over my body. I let it run down the front of me, before turning around to let it saturate my back. I lather my loofa and wash the entirety of my skin. Once I’m satisfied, I remain in the water until it begins to run cold.

Wrapping the towel around me, I cross the hallway back into my room. Since it’s October, I know I can count on it being at least kind of cold. I grab my long forest green cotton dress and my favorite beige cardigan. When I turn to lay them on my bed, a folded-up piece of paper on my pillow catches my eye.

I walk across the room to pick it up and the first thing I notice when I unfold it is the drawing of a peony in the bottom left corner. The style is very similar to the portrait that was left on the table. My eyes glide over to something written in an elegant cursive in the center of the paper.

I just can’t seem to stay away. Can I?

My stomach does a flip.

My stranger knows where I live, and he was in the house. The most conflicting emotions I feel, however, are deciding if I’m scared or excited.

What does it say about me if I feel excited?

My god, there must be something wrong with me.

In hopes to move my thoughts elsewhere, I shove the note into the top drawer of my dresser and get dressed. I check the time on my phone, and it reads 5:45 am. I'm not supposed to go to the coffee shop today, but I decide I need the distraction. So I dress quickly and leave a note for Flora on the fridge before heading to town on my bike .

I say good morning to the shop owners next to Alcott’s and park my bike on the side of the building. Sophi already has her hands full with the regulars that come in before seven am, rain or shine.

“Hey boss! I didn’t think you were coming in today!” she calls out with a smile.

“Yeah. I wasn’t supposed to, but I couldn’t sleep so I thought I might as well.”

She lets out a chuckle and returns to the customer she’s handing change to. They thank her with a smile then turn and nod in my direction before exiting the shop. I head to the back room and start sifting through the paperwork in desperate need of filing, honestly anything to get my mind right again.

After a few hours of reorganizing my office, Sophi knocks at the door.

“Hey Lil. There’s a man here asking to see you.” She points toward the register and lowers her chin. “He’s really freaking hot.”

“Thanks. I’ll be right there.” My stomach suddenly tightens up, hoping that it will be my stranger.

I check my hair in the mirror that hangs by the door of my office before exiting. My smile quickly changes when Cedar turns to face me.

“Hey you. Got a minute?”

“Hi! Sure.” I walk from behind the counter and direct him toward a table off to the side.

“I wanted to apologize for not making it to the party. Something came up. ”

“You don’t need to apologize! It was kind of a last-minute invite,” I say, waving my hand dismissively. In all honesty, his absence wasn’t even noticed. But I obviously couldn't tell him that.

“I wanted to know if I can make it up to you. Maybe take you to dinner tonight?”

Suddenly, my gut was screaming something was wrong. I just didn’t know what or why. “That's such a nice offer, Cedar, and I really appreciate it, but I’m just swamped with the shop right now.” I try to keep my tone light and pleasant.

He looks around at the basically empty coffee shop and looks back at me with a raised brow. “I won't push you, but I think you could have a really nice time with me.” He reaches out and places his hand over mine. I have to fight against the reflex to pull it back when his ice-cold skin touches mine. Cedar smiles, but there’s something almost predatory about it that I can't place.

“I’m sure I will,” I reply, “but can we raincheck? I really do have a lot of work to catch up on.”

His demeanor quickly changes at my rejection. “Yeah. Sure. Whatever.”

He stands, practically throwing the chair to the ground as he storms out of Alcott’s. My heart is beating so rapidly at the encounter, I can hear the sound echoing in my ears.

“Wow. That was kind of a dick move. What was his problem?” Sophi asks as she’s wiping down the table next to me.

“Yeah. It kind of was. I… I have no idea.” I responded, shock rushing through me.

I try to go through the rest of my day without thinking about my exchange with Cedar, but I can’t shake it from my mind. The look on his face and the tone of his voice shifted from friendly to aggressive so quickly, all my warning bells were going off. Obviously, I don’t really know him well enough to know his personality, but even for the momentary interactions we have had, he seemed to be anything except for how he was just now.

Sophi and I close the shop just before dark, saying goodbye and going our separate ways. Most of the town is getting ready to call it a night. Around this time, a lot of the stores and shops close for the evening, except for a couple of restaurants and the pub. I start up the road toward the mountain on my bicycle. Cars pass me by as I stay in the bike lane, hugging the side of the barrier lining the cliffside. There’s a faint revving of a car's engine that catches my attention and my chest instantly fills with anxiety.

I try to speed up, but I can only go so fast up a mountain.

The car gets closer, its headlights shining brightly behind me.

I quickly sneak a look over my shoulder and regret immediately set in. My eyes grow wide as the car comes straight for me. I stand up on my bike, trying to gain as much speed as possible.

The silver car swerves directly at me, causing me to fall off my bike and over the barrier. I tumble down the side, rolling at least a dozen times. My body slams into a boulder, only missing the back of my head by a couple of inches. It takes me a few moments to gain my footing before I can stand. I wince as I put pressure on my left leg. The warmth from blood runs down my leg and, without even looking at it, I know there’s a large gash.

At this moment, I’ve never been more grateful that Dad wanted to do so many hobbies together. He insisted we hike through the trees frequently, constantly changing which paths we take to familiarize me with the forest. It doesn’t take me long before I’m able to find my way. I hobble through the trees; my anxiety is worsened when I hear the faint sound of leaves crunching. I limp as fast as I can. Panic grows in my chest and makes it hard for me to breathe .

This is it.

I’m going to be eaten in the forest.

Twigs snap beneath the feet of whatever predator is making its way toward me. I look around, frantically trying to find some sort of lights in the distance. I think I can almost see headlights passing through the thick trees, but I can’t be sure.

Whatever animal making its way toward me is teasing me, making me think I can escape with my life. A snarl bounces off the tree trunks and I’m pretty sure I’m going to piss myself. Something emerges from the shadows and my body goes completely still, my fight or flight response deciding I’m going to just freeze instead.

I can’t decide if I want to close my eyes or meet the eyes of the animal that's going to take my life in a second. Slowly, the thing hunting me comes into view. A small gasp escapes my mouth.

It’s not a thing, it’s a person.

My eyes meet Cedar’s and goosebumps cover my skin. His eyes, once golden brown, are now crimson. His lips curl, revealing long sharp canines.

What the hell?

“C.. C..” My voice betrays me.

“Hello, Lillia,” he purrs. Suddenly, he is standing behind me. “The smell of fear is my favorite, but your scent is exceptionally exquisite,” Cedar whispers in my ear.

I want to run, but my feet feel like they are sinking into the floor beneath me.

I want to scream, but there’s no longer any air in my lungs.

I’m not sure if it’s the adrenaline or the cold, but my entire body is trembling.

He runs his fingers through my hair, bringing a chunk up to his nose and inhaling deeply. His cold fingertips glide my neck, sending a chill down my spine. Cedar moves my hair off to the side, exposing my skin to the brisk air.

“I can see why he’s so drawn to you.”

“W…W… Who?”

“Well, Finnian, of course.”

“I… Who?”

Cedar lets out a deep laugh. “Of course he hasn’t introduced himself to you, officially. I’m sure I’m to blame for that.” He lets out a sigh and releases my hair from his grasp, but keeps his arm firmly wrapped across my chest. “Speak of the devil,” he snarls.

“You don’t want to do this, Cedar.”

My eyes widen as Cedar tenses around me. “Hello, Finnian. You have always been such a wet blanket. Where’s the fun?”

I study his face as this stranger, Finnian, storms over to where we stand. The moonlight reflects off his skin, casting shadows against his prominent jaw and cheekbones. His eyes meet mine and I can’t seem to pull my attention away.

He’s breathtaking.

“Release her, immediately. There’s no reason to involve my girl.”

My girl.

Cedar clicks his tongue. “On the contrary, Finn. I think you know exactly why I must involve her.”

Anger flashes across Finn’s face only seconds before he lunges at Cedar, his own elongated canines exposed. I’m cast off to the side, hitting the ground with a thud. I am completely mesmerized as they fight, bobbing and weaving against each other's movements. The colors of their skin and clothing begin to blur as their speed accelerates. I take this as my opportunity to get out before I no longer have the chance, willing my legs to move from the spot where I sit.