The Beast Within (6 page)

Soon he was willing to risk another look behind him and he almost stopped in his tracks with disbelief. Laren, perfect smile and all, was still right behind him. A few small pools of perspiration now glimmered off her skin, but not even close to the signs of exertion that were manifesting themselves in Connor’s body.

Beginning to feel the strain, he ignored the question of how she could be keeping pace with him and instead concentrated on one thing, speed. At a full sprint, Connor knew he had maybe two to two and a half miles before the ranger station and finish line would appear; he couldn’t lose, he hated losing.

The thought of losing awoke that urge in him. That feeling that told him he must be more than he was. The beast within willed him, lent him its power, its will to run faster. Connor tapped into its strength and lost himself in the freeing power.

There was no way for Connor to gauge how fast he was running, but if he had to guess, it was the fastest he had ever ran. His feet didn’t even feel like they were touching the ground anymore, the forest flew by like a blur of camouflage green. Racing through the forest, Connor couldn’t help but think of the dream he had just a few nights ago.

He rounded the same corner he had in his dream, the corner where he had seen Katie and his mother urging him to run, and half expected to see them there again. To his relief, the bench was empty and there wasn’t a group of hooded figures standing in his path.

Soon the ranger station appeared in the distance. By this time, Connor was pouring sweat. He had given up trying to control his breathing a mile ago and now it came in short, ragged gasps. His legs burned. His arms pumped for all they were worth, but it wasn’t enough. Despite all odds, Laren pulled up next to him.

The amount of effort her body showed while keeping such a harsh pace seemed nonexistent compared to Connor. She still had control of her breathing and she even looked at Connor as she pulled up next to him, giving him a smile and wink as she passed him.

Despite having to recognize defeat, he couldn’t help but think how elegantly she ran. It was more like watching a cheetah or lion glide through a field chasing its prey than a young woman on a run. Connor could only imagine what she must look like to someone standing still—like a ghost.

Within seconds she was so far ahead of him he lost sight of her. Within minutes he had reached the ranger station. Throwing himself on the forest floor in front of the abandoned building, he struggled to breathe. His body had pushed itself to its limits and the air supply his lungs took in couldn’t keep up. His bare chest heaved up and down. His entire body tingled, well, almost his entire body. He couldn’t feel his legs.

He was lying in front of the ranger station, a one story, dilapidated building in a small clearing. White paint flaked off the exterior and the front door was barred shut. He had thrown himself on a patch of grass. Lying face up, he stared into the blue sky, his mind reeling and searching for an answer why Laren could have been so much faster than he was.

It was in the middle of this thought that Laren’s face appeared above him. “Hey, you made it.”

Connor stared at her in disbelief. She was fine, better than fine. If it was possible, she seemed more beautiful and alive than before. Connor struggled to his feet as she offered a helping hand. He took it gratefully and she helped steady him.

Connor looked at her quizzically as he stretched his aching calves. Laren must have read his thoughts because she responded with a simple, “What? I work out.”

“No, Laren, I work out. You… you’ are a robot.”

“I work out a lot?” She phrased this more as a question than a response and looked at him with motherly eyes. “Ohhhhh. Is Connor mad that I beat him?”

“No, not at all. You won fair and square. That’s too bad for me. I guess you have to take me out now.”

“It was a close race, and all joking aside, you are really fast. Makes me think there might be more to you than meets the eye.”

“Please, look who’s talking.”

They both agreed to walk back, although Connor had a sneaking suspicion Laren could have sprinted the entire way had she needed to. The return trip went by quickly as the two once again found joy in each other’s company, talking about the most random and insignificant things.

Soon they were back at the Welcome Center drinking water and laughing at the pickaxe still propped up against the side of the building.

“Of all things a pickaxe? Really?” Connor asked.

“Okay, let the pickaxe go . Besides, it looks kinda cool. So, dinner tonight? There’s a restaurant at the hotel where I’m staying. Dress nice. I’ll see you there at seven?”

“Sounds good.” Connor was mostly dry now, but just mostly. Without warning, he grabbed her and gave her a big bear hug, smothering her in his arms.

She gave out a scream that soon turned into a laugh, “Oh, Connor, that is so gross!”

“I just wanted to give you a congratulatory hug, to show there’s no hard feelings.” This made both of them burst into laughter.

“See ya in a few hours, Connor.”

“See you then.”

As Connor made his way to his truck, he realized Laren’s car wasn’t in the small parking lot., “Hey, where did you park?”

“I parked on a service street just under a mile down the road so you wouldn’t see my car. I wanted it to be a surprise,” she said as she grabbed the pickaxe, once again showing no strain, and slung it across her shoulder. “Here. I’ve decided to put my gold mining career on hold for a while.” She tossed the pickaxe into the back of Connor’s truck and looked at him with a single raised eyebrow. “Hurry and go home. You definitely need a shower before tonight.”

Chapter 5

C
onnor started his truck. Pulling
out of the parking lot, he lost sight of her as she disappeared in the forest.

Weaving down the familiar road, Connor was reminded of something Mrs. Hayes had told him earlier that day. ‘She is drawn to you and she is more than you think.’ But she couldn’t have meant Laren, could she?

He thought about this and all the other questions he didn’t have answers to on his way home. By the time he reached his house, he was no closer to an answer than when he had left. It was about six now. His mother would still be at the shop getting ready to close up.

He parked his truck and walked up the perfectly shaped square cement blocks that led to his house. Opening the screen, he pushed in his key, heard the familiar click, and let himself in. Wasting no time, he hopped in the shower and scrubbed the sweat from his body. It felt amazing. The hot water washed over him and took any sign of his earlier run with it. In minutes he was standing in his room, towel wrapped around his waist, studying his wardrobe.

The restaurant in the hotel where Laren was staying was one of the best in town. He decided on a pair of black slacks, matching black shoes, and a light blue dress shirt. The blue reminded him of Katie—her eyes staring back into his—telling him she still cared for him. But she was the one that had let him go, the one that had made the choice. It was unfair for her to do this now, when she knew he had started seeing someone else.

He buttoned his shirt, then tucked the tails into his pants and headed for the door. His black hair was tussled slightly by the breeze. It was another night of decent weather and a clear sky.

With just a few red lights and stop signs hindering his progress, he reached the hotel restaurant in just under twenty minutes. Parking his truck in the back amongst the Ferraris and Lamborghinis, he made his way around the building .

An attendant greeted him, opened the large glass door, and with a practiced smile said, “Good evening, sir.”

“Oh, hi. Thanks.”

Walking into the lobby, Connor was stunned. He knew where the hotel was but he never had a reason to venture inside before. The floor was made of white marble. Cream-colored pillars made of the same material extended from floor to the vaulted ceiling every few yards, and rich paintings hung on the walls. It was nothing like the Italian restaurant, where it seemed every square inch was covered, but more thought out, the décor more elegantly placed. There were large plants and a few couches scattered deliberately around the lobby. Classical music played in the background.

Not seeing the entrance of the restaurant, he approached the lobby clerk, who sat behind the front counter.

“Excuse me, where is the restaurant entrance?”

The plump, pleasant female receptionist looked Connor up and down. Her blue suit was wrinkle free and perhaps a size too big for her. Her gold-rimmed glasses fit her moon-shaped face just right and her short hair was so curly it reminded Connor of ribbons.

“Just down the lobby and to the left. You’ll see it marked with a sign. It’s called The Den.”

“Thank you.” Connor gave her a smile and headed toward the area she indicated.

Before he could take three steps in that direction, he saw a figure moving toward him. The man must have been massive to look this big so far away. Connor made his way toward the restaurant, but the man chose a path that would intercept him before he reached his destination. In a few more steps, Connor was able to recognize who the burly man was; it was Lu.

The big man had long brown hair tucked back in a masculine way. His attire didn’t match the hotel’s at all. He was dressed in workout clothes, the cut off shirt he wore showed how muscular his arms were.

Connor wasn’t a violent person by nature, but every once in awhile he wondered to himself who would win in a fight if it came down to it. He would size other guys up, not in a threatening way, but more curious than anything. Most of the time he would bet on himself. With Lu it was a hard choice.

Lu stared at Connor for a second with his penetrating green eyes as the two met in the lobby. “So, this is who my sister has been spending all her time with.”

“It’s nice to see you again, Lu,” Connor said, extending a hand.

Lu ignored his outstretched hand, keeping his gaze even. Where Laren’s eyes were emerald green, warm, and friendly, Lu’s were full of anger and suspicion.

“Listen,” Lu started, “I can appreciate you being interested in my sister, but there’s a lot more here than ‘guy likes girl and girl likes guy.’ My family will not approve of you, so there’s no point in any of it, even if she does like you. Spare yourself some heartache and leave her alone.”

Connor thought this over for a few seconds before he responded. “No.”

“What did you say?”

“I said no. Laren’s old enough to make her own decisions, and if your family is going to dislike me, then I’ll just have to win them over.”

Lu held Connor’s gaze and for a moment—an unstoppable force met an immovable object—green eyes staring into brown.

“You have balls, kid,” Lu put his hand on Connor’s left shoulder and leaned in to whisper in his ear. “But there is no scenario where this ends good for you.” He applied pressure and Connor’s shoulder felt like it would dislocate at any minute.

Forcing the pain out of his mind and refusing to show any sign of discomfort on his face, Connor whispered back, “Lu, you’re really close to me right now. Are you—are you hitting on me?”

Lu released his grasp. “Don’t say you weren’t warned.”

Connor watched him leave, then let an expression of pain show on his face as he rotated his shoulder and massaged the sore spot. He was sure there would be a handprint from Lu after the exchange. What was with these people? They must have been descendants from Hercules to be so strong.

“Work out a little too hard at the gym there, tiger?”

Connor smiled. He knew who the voice belonged to before he saw her. He elected to omit the run in with her brother from the night’s conversation. Turning in the direction of the voice, he wasn’t prepared for what met his eyes.

Laren was wearing a short, shoulder-baring black dress with a green sash tied behind her in a sleek bow. She held a small black purse in her hands that displayed a name brand Connor had never heard of. Her high-heeled shoes were the same color as the sash on her dress. She smiled at him, tilting her head slightly. Her long brown hair fell perfectly down her shoulders and back. “You clean up nice, Mr. Moore.”

“So do you. Have you ever considered giving all this up and running away to be a model? I could always be persuaded to be your photographer.”

Even as Connor said this he knew it was a lame response, but he had nothing else. Laren had literally left him speechless.

She rolled her eyes and motioned to him to follow her. “Come on, smooth talker, dinner’s waiting.”

Arm in arm, they approached the restaurant entrance. Entering the foyer, the two were greeted by a thin, elderly gentleman wearing a black tuxedo. He looked up with a pleasant expression but as soon as he saw Laren, his face changed to an ear-to-ear smile. Showing far too many teeth, he approached the two. “Oh, Miss Abelardus, how good it is to see you again. And so elegant. You don’t look a day older than when I saw you last.” He had a subtle French accent that reminded Connor of the candlestick character in Disney’s
Beauty and the Beast
. Walking around the small wooden stand, he approached Laren and gave her a quick kiss on each cheek.

“Hello, Cyril, it’s nice to see you again as well. This is my friend, Connor.”

Cyril tuned his attention to him. “Oh, sir, it is a pleasure to meet you, and in such fine company.” Cyril had a way of making you feel good about yourself. Connor realized it was his job, but still, it was nice. The way he drew out syllables when he talked and was so animated helped make Cyril one of the best at what he did.

Cyril feigned a look of hurt and turned again to Laren. “Miss Abelardus, it has been too long. Why do you not come and see your friend Cyril more often?”

“I know, Cyril, I tried to come sooner, but you know my father. It’s very hard to have personal time with him as a boss.”

Cyril nodded understanding, “Well, you are here now, yes?” Cyril didn’t wait for a response and instead answered his own question. “Yes, and we shall celebrate. I will personally serve you tonight. Come to the best table in the house!” Cyril yelled the last part in excitement and started to march into the interior of the restaurant.

Connor and Laren smiled to each other as they followed Cyril through the maze of tables. It was the nicest place Connor had ever been, period. The lights weren’t bright, but not so dim as to be annoying. Laughter from other tables accompanied the lone violinist, who provided elegant background music.

Their table was located at the back. It was separate from the rest of the restaurant with curtains on either side of its alcove, for diners that wished for a more intimate meal. The table was covered with a spotless white cloth and there were more glasses, china, and silverware on the table than Connor had ever seen.

Cyril motioned them to sit, placed Laren’s napkin on her lap, and began to recite the menu by heart. They both decided on soups and salads. Connor chose the veal on Cyril’s recommendation, cooked medium well, and Laren opted for her favorite, a shank of lamb prepared rare. With orders memorized, Cyril disappeared.

“So, what do you think?”

“I think you’re spoiling me; surprise runs in the forest, dinners fit for a king, what’s next—a trip to Europe? A race around the Autobahn?”

“I just want to show you how much I appreciate you and—how much I like you.”

Connor was a bit taken back with her honesty but he decided to do the same. “Laren, can I tell you something?”

“Of course.”

“I feel drawn to you. It’s more than just feelings or lust or passion, it’s—it’s like an instinct. I don’t know. Maybe I should have gathered my thoughts before I said anything. Am I making sense at all?”

Laren smiled, her eyes looking into his and showing a wisdom well beyond her years. “It does, Connor, and I feel the same way. I haven’t been able to figure it out, and well, I’ve been too scared to recognize what it might mean.”

“And what’s that?”

She shifted her eyes down and Connor knew exactly what was running through her mind. “It’s your family, isn’t it?”

“It’s that, but so much more.”

Connor reached across the table and held her slender hand. “Laren, it doesn’t matter. I’ll win over your family. They’ll understand.”

Laren gave him a sad smile. “You’re a great guy, Connor. I don’t want to drag you into this.”

“Is it still considered dragging if I jump in feet first?”

Before they could continue the conversation, Cyril appeared with their first course.

To say the food was delicious that night would be doing it an injustice. The food was phenomenal. The salad was crisp, the soup spiced just right, and the main course was to die for. The night’s conversation turned into laughter and soon the two lost themselves in each other’s company.

Later that night, Connor decided to take a chance and see if Laren would be open to talking more about herself and her family. “So, how are negotiations going with Randolph?”

Laren’s eyes flashed surprise but soon her expression turned into a smile. “So you’re not just a pretty face.” Pausing, she once again chose her words carefully. “The deal is going horribly. He won’t budge and is insistent the land should belong to him.”

Connor nodded; from his limited experience with Randolph, this didn’t surprise him. “So if negotiations fail, what’s the next move?”

“Well, I really shouldn’t be telling you this, but my father has given orders not to waiver in our course, so the ball is really in their court. We hold the land, they won’t negotiate, so it’s their move.”

“Does Randolph also work with his family business?”

She nodded.

While Connor continued to piece things together, Cyril appeared once again, this time carrying a decadent piece of chocolate cake. “I hope it is appropriate. I took the liberty of choosing the dessert for tonight. It is a three-layer cake. The first layer is chocolate peanut butter, the second dark chocolate truffle, and the third is a light milk chocolate. In between the three layers are a French fudge and it is covered in the restaurant’s renowned chocolate syrup.”

Laren’s and Connor’s eyes practically popped out of their heads as they stared at the behemoth of a cake.

“I know, I know. It isn’t the most traditional of French desserts, but I thought you would enjoy it. Please, please don’t be shy,” Cyril insisted as he produced two clean forks.

Not requiring any more of an invitation, both Connor and Laren threw calorie counting to the wind and attacked the chocolate mound of goodness.

“Mmmmm,” was all Laren said.

“I think I can die a happy man,” Connor agreed.

“Ahhh, ha, perfect,” Cyril replied. “Please enjoy.”

He left the two with their task at hand. A few minutes of silence passed between the couple and soon the cake was reduced to crumbs. Cyril appeared again just as the two put down their forks, making Connor wonder if he was just sitting somewhere watching them.