Dark of kNight (6 page)

Somewhere I believe her smile gave her plan away. I could probably deal with this, if I didn’t feel like everyone pushed us together. Yes, I admitted to myself that he was gorgeous, adorable and sexy, especially when wasn’t acting like an ass. Daniel glanced toward me with a smile.

My newfound information subdued my thoughts. Two wolves, not even a pack. My mind flashed back to the dream where the two huge oversized wolves fought. So how far off was I from the dream? Maybe there some type of connection between my dream of the wolves, and the Lycans. I remembered hearing clearly the word Lycan, but in Daniel’s off thought, he murmured “not Lycan”. There must be some difference between the Lycan and the werewolves. Strange, I couldn’t imagine something like this actually existing.

Was this what they were hiding from me? I figured this evening answered more than one of my questions. This was what they were keeping from me. Tomorrow I would somehow find the evidence before I confront them. These people are part of my family; my heart melted. I knew they loved me. A deep breath, yes, the box remained closed.

THREE

Somewhere in the back of our minds, we block out items of reality. Legends and old stories, we consider them just that, stories and fables. Stories, we tell to children or tell over campfires to scare the living daylights out of unsuspecting teenagers. Reality is, we block the truth from our minds because it is so obscure it couldn't be true. Our minds only accept what we believe truth to be. In that moment, one shock in our lives, one devastating event can change one’s life forever. Forcing the reality of which has been hidden deep within your mind to the forefront of our imagination.

The morning came with a refreshing note, no dreams. Turning over to check the clock, I rested my head back on the pillow for a few minutes longer of sleep. Seven-thirty and my body didn’t want to wake up so easily. Today’s plans played over in my mind, a bit of snooping and research. There was still the question of Lycans and of course going through my father’s papers. My heart suddenly dropped. Today, I thought, before anything else was my father’s funeral. Closing my eyes tightly, I sank deeper into the pillows.

Checking the box again, I was satisfied it remained intact for the time being.

My senses slowly came alive. The fresh aroma of coffee traveled into my bedroom along with the faint sound of voices downstairs. No use in trying to sleep, I was fully awake. The smell of the coffee sounded the alarm to let the day begin.

Walking down the stairs, Casey’s voice and another voice spoke softly. As I moved closer toward the kitchen, I clearly recognized Daniel’s deep voice. Giving no second thought to my morning appearance or my embarrassment, I walked straight into the kitchen. The conversation between the two stopped abruptly. They sat at the counter drinking coffee. I walked by the kitchen counter, giving them both a forced smile. Reaching up to the cabinet, I pulled out a coffee cup and poured the coffee into it. The only noise was my spoon stirring the cream in my coffee and the small flat screen TV that played the morning news. I turned around to face them and tipped the cup to my lips. My eyes traveled to Casey first. A look of despair claimed her face, not the normal look as concerning my father’s death. Glancing toward Daniel, he didn’t look at me; his eyes remained focused intently on the television. The expression on his face was one of remorse and pain.

“What?” The silence of the two had become unbearable at this point.

“Two people were found dead last night in Summerville near the Chattahoochee National Forest.” Her voice couldn’t hide the distinct fear behind it.

“The police said that it was an animal attack,” Daniel shot in. His eyes followed up to mine.

Last night’s conversation with Daniel suddenly came back to me when I glanced at the television. Uniformed men moved white bagged bodies away to a large black van.

The news reporter announced:
“No one knows what type of animal it was. Police could only say that it was a large animal. A special forensics team has been assigned to determine the type of
animal that caused such brutal killings. In the meantime, police have warned all individuals to stay away from heavily wooded areas and not to go out after dark. Keep your houses locked and stay
inside. These are the second bodies found within a ten mile radius of one another.”

The ringing phone broke my concentration, taking me away from the horrifying images. Reaching over the counter, I grabbed the phone and placed it to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Julie?” It was Thomas. “Listen, I just saw the news. You are to gather your things together and come over here with us immediately. I don’t want you to stay in that house another minute.” His stern voice sent fear through me.

“I… ”

“Julie!” His voice commanded by full attention.

“Okay, I understand. I’ll be there.” I pushed the off button and placed the phone back on the receiver. “That was Thomas. He said that I should get my things and stay with you.”

“Well, I think that’s a great idea. Let‘s pack your stuff together now.” Casey forced out a smile.

Daniel didn’t speak. With the same worried expression on his face, his attention remained on the news. Reluctantly, Daniel tore his eyes from the television and gave me a stern look.

“I will wait and then follow you both to the house. I need to run into town and then meet you at the funeral.” His voice trailed off into his own thoughts.

Not putting too much thought into his plans, I had to concentrate on my own. Glancing at the clock, it was eight-fifteen. The dark clouds caught my eye when I glanced out of the window. A nasty storm approached from the east. At least we would be inside the church during the funeral. My father requested that he be cremated. His urn would rest in a vault beside my mother in the cemetery.

Casey helped me pack and between the three of us we loaded Daniel’s car with my belongings. They were surprised by my protest when I wanted to take my car. Convincing them that I hadn’t had the chance to drive it, I wanted to enjoy my father’s last gift. My reasoning may have been a little different, but the car provided me with the opportunity for time alone.

The little black Mercedes headed out first, followed by my new Eclipse Spyder. Daniel followed close behind in Charlotte’s white Lexus. We made it through the long wooded driveway to the main road. Casey sprinted ahead in her shinny BMW. Not sure exactly what this new car would do, I gave a little more pressure to the gas and she was off. In the rear view mirror, I saw Daniel quickly approaching the rear of my car. I settled in the seat and turned on the stereo. The car was nice, I thought. My father knew me better than I knew myself.

The car rode so smoothly, I didn’t realize I was speeding until I caught a glimpse of Daniel when he flashed his headlights in my rearview mirror. Quickly glancing down at my speedometer, it said I was going ninety. My foot pulled off the gas, and I tapped the brakes lightly to slow down. Luckily, he was there to warn me. When we approached the hilltop, a police cruiser waited with a radar gun pointed in our direction. Ahead, Casey slowed down to make the turn into their driveway.

Pulling up to the huge house, I followed her around to the garage. Daniel pulled up behind me. He jumped out of the car before Casey and me. Daniel appeared in a rush, pulling items out the trunk left and right. Walking behind him into the house proved to be a challenge, his fast paced long strides made it difficult for Casey and me to keep up.

Once inside I heard Thomas and Charlotte. Her tense voice clearly indicated she was extremely upset. Daniel dashed up the stairs with my suitcase. Following Daniel up the stairs, Charlotte caught my attention and I stopped abruptly.

“Julie, go ahead and start getting ready. The driver will be here in an hour and a half. Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine.” My suspicions ran wild. Secrecy filled the air. I knew they were hiding something from me. Daniel ran down the stairs, catching my full attention.

“I promise to be there as soon as I can,” he shot to Thomas.

“Be careful,” Charlotte shot back at him with a worried look on her face.

Casey’s hand touched my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get dressed.”

The agony hit hard in the pit of my stomach. There was too much going on for me to try to be calm. The horrific events consumed my thoughts. Was this a coincidence? On the other hand, were there just some strange events that just happen to be related to my father’s death? Everything became a blur to me.

≈≈≈

Sitting on the end of the pew in the chapel, still not fully aware of the ride there, I looked around nervously for Daniel. The sound of Charlotte’s voice added to my suspicions and fears. Something, perhaps she knew or found out. Thomas sat rigid. Casey remained quiet and not her normal self. All of this wreaked havoc on my nerves. I inhaled deeply to try and calm myself. I wasn’t worried about the box at this point. The agonizing feeling of not knowing took over.

We all stood when the Pastor stepped forward to give a moment of prayer. I could barely focus on what he said. My hands trembled and my thoughts ran wild. I heard the
AMEN
, managed to raise my head, and felt a nudge to the left of me. It was Daniel. I moved over to my right and sat down leaving him enough room.

Family, friends, co-workers, business partners and the socials packed the large church. Even with my father’s faults, many people thought well of him. It pleased me to know that all these people cared about him. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

The Pastor stood behind the wooden podium in front of the church. He opened his Bible and began reading. Daniel’s hand slid around mine. Squeezing it lightly, I was surprised how much it helped calm my overactive nerves. Casually, he released my hand and slid his arm around me. Whatever instinct he felt toward me, he knew what I needed. I relaxed and my focus returned in time to watch Thomas give the eulogy.

Who better to speak of my father than Thomas, the longtime friend of my father? He spoke clearly and earnestly about my father, their friendship and Martin’s dreams for the people he loved. He spoke of Martin’s love for life. The love that led him to support different charities and to find cures for certain diseases. My father’s work to find cures for childhood cancer and how his donations and work saved over a thousand lives. Thomas also reminded everyone that even though Martin departed from us physically, his work and his love remained with us all.

My heart shattered when the memories of my father filled my head. The warmth of him, the smell of him, and the heart he had. Thomas's words stirred all those loving memories of my father.

One memory was the Room of Secrets. Dad and I spent hours in conversations where whatever we spoke of would never leave the walls of that room. There were many things I told my father, he never judged me, but lovingly understood and corrected me when necessary. The reflections of how he loved life, of how, indeed, he was a wonderful and loving father. How he brought his fatherly love out, not just to the community but across the country. I felt for some reason, all the things he did were because of his love for humanity. My hands trembled again. The box had slipped open. I took a deep breath, no good. Another breath, no, not good. My body trembled, fighting back the threatening tears. Daniel shifted ever so slightly, drawing me closer against his warm body. His lips pressed against my ear, whispering softly words only I could hear. “
It is okay, Jewels. You
are okay. I am here.”
I pulled on his strength and fought back the tears. One last deep breath and I managed to tightly close the box.

The ceremony ended. We rose and then headed toward the back of the church. A warm sense of awe filled my heart when I noticed the number of people who came to honor my father. Joy filled my heart from the people I knew who felt the same way about my father as I did.

A strong squeeze around my waist guided me to the limousine that waited. I paused outside the church doors, eyes lifted to the dark sky. Sprinkles of rain filled the air, drifting quietly down to the wet ground. I hurried inside the limo to the destination of the final resting place of my father‘s ashes.

Everyone consumed in his or her own thoughts remained silent for the ride home. Daniel followed us in his car. He pulled the white Lexus in front of the limousine and parked it in the garage. Thomas stepped out first to help the rest of us out. Silently I walked behind the rest through the front door and then followed Casey up the stairs. I wanted to change clothes and knew she had the same idea. We left Charlotte, Thomas and Daniel downstairs in the great room.

Fumbling through my suitcase, I found a pair of jean shorts and a cool light blue cotton tank top. Quickly I dressed and pulled my hair into a ponytail. I turned to face Casey who waited for me on the bed.

“You okay?” The grim expression on Casey’s face didn’t shock me.

“Yeah, I guess so. I’m just having a hard time believing that… ” she paused, her teary eyes lifted to mine. “Mom says lunch is ready,” she continued. “She figured that no one was in the mood for anything big, so she put together some
‘comfort snacks’
as she calls them.”

Poor Charlotte, she wasn’t taking this well. The feeling was mutual. My arms reached over to Casey, holding her tightly until she exhaled softly. We let each other go and walked out the room and down the stairs to meet with the others.

“Comfort snacks” was an understatement. We walked into the kitchen where a large array of food items sat waiting to be devoured. Thomas stood by the counter holding a cheese cracker. Daniel changed into jeans and a blue T-shirt which stretched over his muscular body. His head lifted, sporting a solemn smile when he noticed my entrance.

“So what’s good?” I gestured toward the array of food.

“Everything. Mom seems to have gone overboard this time.” Daniel pierced his fork into a slice of meat and cheese.

“Charlotte, have you ever considered catering?”

“Oh, heavens no!” her excited tone rang. “I would not be able to handle the stress of owning a business.” Somewhere with her last statement, we all roared in laughter. We were not sure if she meant that as a joke, but it really was one.