Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
JETT
The moon is out bright tonight, beaconing to me as it always does. I love being out beneath the moonlight, but I also love being in the light of day.
It’s strange to me some days to want to be able to be under the moonlight as much as I want to be in the sunlight. I love seeing both the sun and the moon shine brightly against the sky.
I want to say it has nothing to do with who my father is or that his twin is Artemis. They’re complete opposites, yet alike in some ways. They both love to shine, just at different times.
Sighing, I stare out the window, not really looking at the moon tonight. More like I’m wondering what the night holds. What could be out there?
In the span of a day since Arely filled my head with thoughts of a dream man, I can’t stop thinking about it.
I’ve tried, but I still can’t seem to fully shake the thoughts of such a man.
Why all of a sudden can I not stop thinking about a man I’ve never met, nor do I want to meet?
I mean, I’ve been perfectly fine all on my own.
I have no reason to need to meet someone who would eventually end up leaving me.
Turning away from the window, I try to get comfortable in my oversized chair I just had to have, only it’s not working.
I can’t seem to find a good position. My body feels restless.
I look back out the window and sigh. If I can’t get comfortable, then I might as well go for a walk or something.
Night walks always seem to help when I feel this way.
Just tonight is worse than it’s been in a long while.
I get up out of my chair and slip on a pair of clogs. Can’t go wrong with clogs, leggings, and a hoodie. It’s like a staple look for me when I’m not at the library. If not leggings, it’s skinny jeans with fuzzy socks and slouchy off-the-shoulder shirts.
Pocketing my keys and phone, I step out into the cool night.
If you take a deep breath, you could smell fall in the air.
I love this time of year. With the leaves changing, the crisp, cool nights, and just fall itself, it’s beautiful.
You can’t go wrong with pumpkins, Halloween, and all the fall festivities around town.
Without anywhere in mind to go, I start walking down the sidewalk.
Redwich is filled with neighborhoods, all beautifully kept.
Sometimes I think this town is like one of those out of a Hallmark movie.
During the summertime, you could even find children outside playing and riding their bicycles.
In the fall, you’ll find them playing in the leaves.
Only when it’s dark out does the town get an ominous vibe, though even still, it’s not a horrible vibe. Just occasionally.
Tonight, the night’s air seems still and on edge all at the same time. It’s hard to describe in order for it to make sense to others, but that’s the way it seems to me like something could happen at any moment.
I round the elementary school and immediately know I’m not alone anymore.
Stopping, I twist around, not seeing anyone, but that doesn’t mean they’re not out there. The shadows are full and able to hide those who want to remain hidden.
Slowly, I start to walk again, watching for the shadows. I wasn’t ready to go back home yet, but I didn’t want someone to jump out at me either. I keep my pace slow and my attention on the surroundings. All I need to do is get where there’s more light.
In the distance, I can see I’m getting closer, but I don’t feel I’ll make it there.
The snapping of a stick not far from my left causes me to nearly jump out of my skin. I spin in the direction to find a group of men stepping from the shadows.
“Look at this,” the one in the front says, stepping forward just a bit more than the others. With him dressed in all black, it makes him look paler in the moonlight. His hair looks greasy, and is that . . . eyeliner around his eyes? Hasn’t he heard that eyeliner isn’t used like that anymore?
Oh well, to each their own. I myself don’t use eyeliner unless I decide to go for the cat eye look, but I’m not good at it, so it’s usually when Arely decides to do my makeup for me.
“Where you goin’, pretty thing?” another one asks.
“That’s none of your business.” I decide just to ignore these men and start walking again. I wasn’t far from the business district. I could see the lights of the buildings illuminating the streets up ahead.
The men laugh and start taunting me. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest as if it wanted to beat right out of my chest.
“Go away,” I mutter, talking to myself more than to them, but they all start laughing harder.
“I don’t think so,” the first one says, suddenly in front of me, stopping me in my tracks. “We’re gonna have some fun before . . .”
I don’t wait to hear him finish what he’s saying. Suddenly, I know exactly what these men are.
Vampires, and they plan to hurt me.
Spinning away from them, I start running. I might not be fast enough to outrun them, but I can at least get to somewhere, hopefully someone will be able to help me.
Their laughter follows me, and I make it to Main Street and rush into the first place I get to—the diner.
Sighing, thankful they didn’t follow me in here, I decide to take a seat in one of the booths and order a coffee.
I figured I could wait a little while in here, maybe drink coffee, eat something, then I could head back home. By then, those men should be gone.
I hope at least.
After two cups of coffee and a bowl of the diner’s chicken tortellini soup, I decide to brave heading home.
While I sat inside, I kept my eyes on the shadows watching, waiting to see if I spotted anyone.
I didn’t.
Maybe they gave up and went to look for someone else to torment.
I pay my bill and make my way to the doors.
Taking a deep breath, I step out into the night.
I won’t let those men . . . those bullies, scare me.
For god’s sake, it’s not like they could actually hurt me.
Well, they could, but they couldn’t kill me.
Just because I’m immortal doesn’t mean I’m not still vulnerable in other ways.
Shaking the thought off, I start down the sidewalk, heading for home. At the end of the sidewalk, I look both ways and start to cross the street when I hear a noise. One that sounds like fighting.
Furrowing my brows, I glance around and find myself drawn to the noise. Moving in that direction, my heart races in my chest, feeling like it was going to pop out at any moment.
I stop in the mouth of an alleyway, seeing the men who chased me going against another man. His dark hair was cut short on his head. Tattoos covered his forearms, and he was dressed in black slacks and a button-down dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.
My rapid beating heart roars in my ears as I watch the dark-haired man take on the men. He moved fluently and without missing a beat. His movements were faster than the average human. I knew what he was, and I honestly didn’t care. I found myself hoping that he wouldn’t get hurt.
Suddenly, the fighting was over, and the men weren’t fighting anymore. In fact, the men who messed with me were all on the ground, lifeless. The dark-haired man twists to me, his eyes gleaming in the darkness.
I take a step back, but seeing his face, I recognize him as the man I saw going into Dyrk as I walked past plenty of times.
Holy . . . oh my . . . staring at him now, I still think he’s the most beautiful man I have ever seen in my life.