Adduné - the Vampire's Game (18 page)

“
Peter? It’s Jake. Rachel, it’s Jake!”

Jake? Why had she said Peter? Who was Peter? She didn’t know. She only knew she was awake and not in that delicious dream where all reality had been stripped away. She struggled to open her eyes. She quickly brought her hand up and shielded them from the blare of sunlight shining down through the transom window. She was disoriented and her vision blurred from what? From the light and the headache and … She moved her hand to her throat. To the spot he had kissed her. It hurt – throbbed from the place his teeth had pierced.

She saw the face of Jake Monroe. He was kneeling next to her. She had to cover herself. She had to. She didn’t want him to see the breasts that had been kissed and licked by the tongue of her lover. She didn’t want him to see her glossy pubic hair and her sleek, milk-white legs spread out on the cold ground. She only wanted the man in her dream to see them. Her hips writhed, feeling only open air and the security of the ground beneath them. It’s not what she wanted. She wanted
him
. Where the hell was he?

“
Rachel, what the hell happened? Rachel, answer me!”

Oh, fuck! Jake! She’d forgotten about him. She couldn’t let Jake see her like this. Her hands grabbed at her breasts. They seemed covered by cloth, but how? She made a desperate grab for the sides of her shirt, but her shirt wasn’t open. It felt as if it were there, magically in place. Buttoned and shielding her flesh from sight. It couldn’t be and yet … She ran her hand along the front of her, slowly lowering her open eyes. It was true. Even her jacket, the one that she’d let fall through space, had returned. She lifted her head a few inches from the floor. The action was injurious to her aching head. It felt as if it would split open from pressure. She brought her elbows underneath her and looked down. Her skirt was demurely settled over her thighs – covering her all the way down to her knees.

She was fully dressed. No part considered indecent was naked or exposed, but then why had she thought so? What was the truth? She felt so confused. She didn’t understand what was going on. She’d crashed through the ceiling, hadn’t she? That’s why she was laying on the floor, but that was impossible. If she’d fallen from the sky, she’d be dead. Her head hurt so much. There was a steady, unpleasant pulsing against her temples.

“
Oooooh,” she moaned touching them – feeling the beating against her fingertips. It was a dream – a dream that was over. She was here with Jake. What had prompted such a dream? She didn’t know. She suddenly felt very ashamed. Dirty and used, and yet … there was a part of her that longed to have that dream repeated.

“
Rachel! Jesus Christ, what happened?”

It was Rex Inwood, one of the exhibitors. He’d rushed in – stopping short when he saw her. He stood to the side of Jake.

“
For Christ’s sakes, let’s call for a doctor! She looks hurt!”

Jake raised his hand stilling him.

“
We don’t even know what happened yet.”

“
What difference does it make? She’s on the floor!”

Jake turned to Rachel.

“
Rachel, do you need a doctor?”

Rachel looked up at Jake and then at Rex. Their faces looked blurred at first, but eventually came into focus. She was looking through that camera again – the one that had trouble focusing. The first thing she noticed was the concern. Rex’s face was covered in that expression, but Jake? Jake only looked irritated that Rachel was taking up a small, minute portion of his day.

She considered Jake’s question. She felt that ache in her throat again. Her hand slipped under her long dark hair. She felt the wound. Her head was spinning. If it had all been a dream, why was there a wound on her throat? Why? It felt sticky to the touch. As if it might still be bleeding.

She slowly sat up – turning herself to the side – facing away from prying eyes that would be curious. She reached for the shawl laying next to her. She wrapped it around her shoulders – taking care to lift her hair over it first. She had to make sure any marks or obvious bleeding stayed hidden until she found out what the hell was going on.

“
Rachel, why are you doing that?” Rex asked rushing over to her other side.

Her eyes lifted. She peered into his puffy, pasty face. She’d always had a deep affection for Rex. He was the ultimate couch potato and so easy to work with. For although he understood the value of the precious artifacts that he took care of and displayed, he innately knew that people came first. That his co-workers were the ultimate, invaluable art treasures since they were impossible to replace.

He reached out and awkwardly put his hand on her upper arm. She wondered if he’d ever gotten up the nerve to ask a girl out. He must have as he was almost thirty. She wondered why she’d never tried to pursue a relationship with him – outside the bounds of work. It would have been nice to get to know him. He was so sweet and kind – chivalrous. She had the urge to ask him if he’d ever had a girlfriend – a real girlfriend. Not just a friend with privileges.

“
I’m trying to get up. I’ll be fine.”

“
Are you sure? Could be you have a concussion or something. Did she slip?” he asked Jake, his soft, mud-colored eyes never leaving Rachel’s dark blue ones. He’d never noticed that they held a hint of purple.

“
I don’t know. I just came here to check on the shipment and found her on the ground so I …”

“
What?” he said now taking his eyes off of Rachel so he could throw a look of complete contempt Jake’s way. “And you didn’t call someone? She could have been here all night, you stupid bastard!”

Rachel felt a small smile stretch across her lips. She lowered her chin so that Jake wouldn’t see it. Even that simple movement hurt like hell.

She was having trouble steadying herself. Her body felt drugged. Her throat was throbbing – just like her vagina. It felt as though she’d been sexually ravaged, only she couldn’t have been. Her clothing was in place. Just her neck was wounded. She must have fallen asleep and had a dream. Everything was so confused.

“
Rachel, are you sure you’re alright?” Rex asked. An ever increasing concern lined his smooth face with a kind of ferocity.

“
Yes, I think so. Just a little wobbly.”

“
Did you fall?”

“
Or faint?” Jake coldly added. His voice was level with no emotion. He might as well have been discussing the color of paint used on the walls.

Rachel thought about what he said. It hadn’t even occurred to her that she might have fainted. Fainted and hit her head. It would account for the pain she was feeling.

“
I don’t remember,” she said placing her right arm underneath her and pressing down on the floor. “Rex, could you please help me?”

“
Are you sure?” he asked nervously. He wasn’t the kind to take unnecessary chances. Rachel softly nodded.

“
But if you hit your head – or injured something – it might not be a good idea for you to be moved.” He turned, addressing Jake, “Look, I think we need to call 911 and not rely on whether she thinks …”

“
Oh, get out of my way!” Jake blurted, shoving Rex out of his way. “Here,” Jake said offering his hand to Rachel. She took it. He helped her up all the while glowering into the face of Rex who continued to look on.

“
Thanks,” she said. It felt odd to have her legs beneath her. It had felt so much better with them stretched out in the air, flying through space …

She stopped herself. That didn’t happen. It was a dream – a nightmare. She felt the side of her throat through the woven, black shawl. It still hurt. She considered whether she was getting sick, but it wasn’t the same type of feeling that she got when coming down with a sore throat. It was different, strange. And why did she feel so weak? She must have fainted. It was the only thing that made any sense.

“
You’re right, I must have fainted. I don’t feel so well,” she muttered, sweeping her hand across her forehead. She felt Rex’s hands under her left arm and around her waist. He wasn’t giving up his hold on her until he was assured she was alright.

“
For God sake’s, Rex,” Jake said moving away. He crossed his arms and looked at her. He seemed hostile – angry – but about what? That she’d passed out?

“
You look like an ass standing there, gripping her like a sack of sugar. She just said she fainted. No mystery illness, no need for a doctor and no need for the museum to be liable for a nuisance lawsuit from a disgruntled worker because, as you can see,” Jake motioned, “there are no objects she could have slipped or tripped over. Nor are there any spots on the floor damaged or cracked.”

So that was it. Jake was worried about a lawsuit. It was so like him. All he thought about was money and taking advantage of people. Naturally, he assumed everyone else thought the same way. They didn’t. He need only look to Rex as proof of that.

“
You and your fucking lawsuits! The world runs on things other than money! This isn’t about that!” Rex yelled out, not wavering in his stalwart attempt to keep her righted and erect. “Why don’t you tell her she should go home? Or does the thought of her using one of her sick days cause your body to break out in hives or something?”

She saw Jake’s jaw react angrily to Rex’s sarcasm. It was so strange to hear Rex speaking like this. He was such a mild-mannered guy – and yet, in situations like these, he was almost fearless. Especially when the situation involved Jake. There was no love lost between them. Still, she was surprised at the unbridled hostility Rex was using in his tone. After all, Jake was his boss and Rex needed his job. It seemed to Rachel that Rex was almost daring Jake to fire him. If he did, she knew that it set-up the opportunity for more fireworks when Rex sued the pants off him for wrongful termination.

Jake raised his hand and shot a forefinger at Rex. There was considerable tension in his body – he looked like he was about to attack. As suddenly as the fury appeared, it dissipated. Jake relaxed. He used his forefinger to rub the side of his chin.

“
Rex, I think you have a point. I don’t see any reason for Rachel to hang around if she’s not feeling well. That is, if she did her job.” Jake walked a step closer to her almost challenging her. He put his hands on his hips, “You did finish with the shipment didn’t you?”

“
Yes, of course. It’s why I stayed last night – to do the paperwork. Everything is completed. I’m fine. Really.”

“
Then you were here all night?”

Rachel nodded, “Yes.”

“
Jeez, Rachel. You could really be hurt. We need to call a doctor.”

“
Rex, could you shut the hell up! You heard her.”

The two men paused waiting for Rachel to confirm or deny Jake’s assertion. She said nothing. Jake took it as agreement. He smiled and let his hands fall to his sides.

“
Great, then I’ll leave it for you,” he said addressing Rex, ”to start unpacking all this and start setting up the exhibits. We only have a couple of weeks.”

“
I know the schedule,” Rex answered sharply. He wasn’t backing down.

Jake cocked his head, letting Rex know that he was keeping a mental accounting of what he was saying and how he was saying it. Rex didn’t seem to care.

“…
except there was a mistake,” she added timidly. She knew Jake wasn’t going to like this, but she had to tell him about the candlesticks. They couldn’t be in that old coffin. Unless that dream was right and … She inhaled deeply closing her eyes. It was a dream – all a bad dream.

“
Mistake? What sort of mistake?”

Jake whirled around. He was now fully interested. He crossed his arms and leaned forward.

“
Number 23 …” Rachel replied demurely, looking up and seeing the huge rectangular packing crate. It was right where she remembered seeing it last night. “That is supposed to contain a pair of Victorian candlesticks.”

“
What? That huge crate?”

Rachel nodded. Jake uncrossed his arms and strode over to it. She looked at Rex. He walked to the side of her.

“
But there’s nothing in here!”

She was by his side now. She looked down and saw it was empty. The pine box she’d ripped open was gone. Someone had taken it, but who? She remembered more of the dream. An old face – sick with age – the voice – the kisses – Peter! That’s where she’d gotten that name.

She put her hand on her stomach trying to quiet her queasiness. She felt as if she were going to be ill.