Dark of kNight (7 page)

Thomas's voice broke through after the laughter settled. “Julie, there are some things that we need to go over concerning your father’s will.”

“
Thomas!”
Charlotte hissed at him.

Pretending not to hear the warning in her voice, he continued. “There are several corporations your father owned major stock in that will fall into your hands. These companies all work together in a sort of … network.” He glanced toward Daniel. “One of which, is co-owned with Daniel. DalMar Corporation. I have arranged for each of the heads of these companies to give you a presentation of their work. You will be able to see firsthand what they do. I have scheduled the presentations tomorrow around ten. Of course, if you are not up to it we can reschedule.”

“No, it’s fine. I will be there.” Dad had more than one business venture, surprising news. Holding my plate, I reached for the fruit in front of Daniel. It would be nice to have time to myself, to enjoy my car for a change.

After the little lunch ended, I wanted nothing more than to go back to the house. The careful eyes of the Maxwell’s remained glued on me, so my chances of slipping past them were not going to be good. Tomorrow would give me the prime opportunity I needed. Since I’d left my computer at the apartment in Virginia, I decided the best excuse was to shop for new clothes, buy a new laptop and, of course, buy some CDs for my new car. At least they would think I was pre-occupied. Eventually they would have to trust that I would be all right in the big house all by myself. There were still many things to be considered, and I needed the alone time to sort them through.

The sheets of rain poured down, lightning streaked through the dark sky making it the worst storm of the century. I finally found my peace while I sat quietly in the large glass Florida room, listening to the storm wail outside. The trees bent back and forth in the howling wind. I wrapped my arms around my knees, pulling them closer to my chest while I snuggled deep against the wicker sofa.

“Ah, enjoying the weather?” Without even looking up the voice was without a doubt recognizable.

“Actually, yes. I love a good storm.” My heart took a different direction.

“I do to, actually.” His warm and soft voice lured me to him. Daniel looked extremely handsome when He sat down across from me on the sofa.

“Doing okay?”

I nodded slowly and forced out an awkward smiled. He followed my gaze out beyond the glass walls, watching a bright light flash that was followed by a loud grumbling of thunder.

“So what are you thinking about?” The question posed something new for me. It wasn’t so much the question, but the question as it was directed to me. No one has ever asked me my thoughts before. I found it interesting.

“I guess,” I paused not knowing where I should begin. Bore him with my insane thoughts of werewolves, or rather give him the obvious choice of my thoughts of my father?

Since I was afraid to let the box open, I decided to go with the first choice. “Wolves and the whole Lycan thing.”

“Oh.” Daniel’s face remained expressionless. “Any luck with that?”

“No, not really. The only thing I have to go on is a memory of a dream, and old movies. I don’t think that’s enough to answer my questions.”

“Like?”

“Well, for starters, what are werewolves? Secondly, what are Lycans?”

Daniel contemplated his answers. When he spoke, his words came out softly and distinctly making sure any emotion remained covered in his voice.

“The legends have it,” he began slowly. “Around the late fifteen hundreds, two Frenchmen, Pierre Burgot and Michael Verdum, made a pact with the devil. To avenge the ones they loved, they traded their souls to be turned into a terrifying killing machine, a werewolf. Although, after they sought their revenge on the town’s people, their souls were condemned to walk on the face of the earth in the daytime as a man, and at night to turn back into a werewolf by the light of a full moon.” Looking into my eyes, he could tell I was neither afraid nor nervous, but interested in the story tale. I raised my eyebrows slightly for him to continue.

“That is the short version of the legend of werewolves. I guess similar to your dream. On the flipside, there was another kind of animal created. See, the universe is a delicate creation. You have heard the ‘
everything is in balance’ theory
. Ying and Yang. Good and Evil. Hot and cold.” I nodded to let him know I followed along. He continued. “So whenever there is something new added, there always has to be an opposite created to balance it.”

“The Lycans.” I whispered. He nodded.

“Lycans do not live by a curse. They are born this way. The Lycans are the ‘protectors’, so to speak, of mankind. They weight the balance against the oddities from evil creations.”

“So are Lycans wolves?” I asked totally intrigued with the conversation.

“Lycans are similar in many ways to werewolves. Most of the legends you hear are about spirit wolves in the American Indian Folklore, of a boy or man taking on the spirit of a great wolf. Actually, it is a bloodline. Lycans are wolves, larger than a normal timber wolf. They have their own wills and are not condemned to the thirst of killing or revenge.

They live peacefully.”

“So, the Lycans are actually a form of a wolf, only good wolves. How can you tell the difference?”

“Well, the werewolf can walk on its hind legs, practically making it eight feet tall. The head and neck are similar to that of a wolf; the body is more similar to that of a man. The Lycans, on the other hand are large wolves. They walk on all fours, and have thick fur. They are extremely strong, and have razor sharp teeth. Again, the strength is carried to the person who is the shape-shifter. Their bodies protect them from the sharp claws and teeth of the werewolves.”

“So the Lycans, were borne, or created to kill the werewolves?”

“Yes.” His smooth voice became silent.

Waiting for a moment to compose my thoughts, I realized that the werewolf was the animal that killed my father. My eyes widened, unfolding myself I sat straight up. “My father… ” I breathed out.

“I think you have heard enough for one day, Jewels. Try not to ponder on it too much.”.

“But you do think that it was a werewolf that killed my father?”

“We think so. Like I said, do not ponder on it. We should go inside. It is late.”

≈≈≈

That night I lay in the bed and couldn’t sleep. Ignoring Daniel’s advice not to ponder his words was asking something of me I couldn’t give him. My thoughts went from my dream, to the events of my father’s death. I envisioned a human-like wolf killing him and taking him from me. My father, who loved life more than anyone I’d ever known. He was a man who would give up his own life to protect and help others. Now he was gone. Just like that. No warning. No time to prepare. Not even to give me a chance to say,
“I
love you Daddy”
just one more time.

My heart felt the crushing pain. The box had come undone. Hot tears ran down my face. He was my friend, I thought when I sat up in the bed. Whenever I had a problem, I could always run to him and he would be there. Now, I had no one. The pain erupted like a volcano through my mouth. I slapped my hand across my open mouth to try and stifle the mournful cry that had come out. My tears ran like a river down my face. I wrapped my arms around myself and rocked back and forth, trying to silence the grief inside.

No one else needed to join in with me. This party was all mine. I grieved for the loss of my father’s love, for the loss that had been taken from me. He was the only one I had ever had. I knew the Maxwell’s had considered me family, and they were close enough to me that I felt they were. Nevertheless, still, it was my Daddy.

Another burst of air came from my throat. I slapped my hand across my mouth again, trying to hide the noise. I turned quickly, and hid my face in the pillow. I wanted to scream, but I was afraid to wake the whole house. In the midst of my continuum of pain, I felt something warm moving on my back. Startled I jumped and pulled my head from the pillow. As I raised my head up, I felt the weight of a body against mine. The soft whisper in my ear,
“It is okay. Come here.”
Daniel‘s soft voice whispered in the dark.

Without another word, his strong arms pulled me to his body. He wrapped my arm around his neck where my head buried into his chest. His arms tightly enclosed around me, holding me closer as I cried. No longer could I contain the pain in normal doses. The sorrowful wails that came from deep within me muffled softly on his chest. His hand pressed firmly against the back of my head, holding me close to him. The sound of his soft voice, cooing unrecognizable words brought out more of the pain.

Flooding my soul with an unmentionable depth of sorrow, my box opened. No one could imagine but me, the pain I felt at this point. All dignity was lost. I was lost in a sea of emotions all at once, tossing me back and forth by a raging storm that threatened life itself. Bearing down on all that I knew, my emotions were like a ragged ship sinking to the bottom depths of the ocean, never to be found again. Still, somewhere, there was hope this storm which raged and wailed out of me would end. A voice soft as an angel’s whispered into my ears, leading me to a light out the darkest of storms. It directed to a brightness my eyes couldn’t see and delivered me from the hands of hell that gripped by heart.

Like the fierce storm it was, it had come and gone. All the tears and pain ended. Only an empty box remained. The sniffles that I tried to retract came slowly. The hand of my rescuer brushed my hair from my face with his fingers. My eyelids felt heavier with each smooth stroke of his fingertips against my skin. Slowly, my eyes closed and the storm ended. I drifted, drifted toward the safeness of the seashore. At last, I was safe.

FOUR

Morning came quickly; yawning, I stretched my sleepy body. I jerked my hands back to my sides and twisted my head toward the other side of the bed. Empty. I relaxed while my heart’s arrhythmic beat returned to normal again. Remembering last night clearly, Daniel had taken me by surprise. I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised to find myself alone in bed this morning. After all, he was there for the moment. Daniel’s cologne lingered on my nightshirt. The clean scent made me somewhat light headed, in a good way. I rolled over on the pillow to smell the fragrance once again, allowing parts of last night’s memory to fill my mind. Daniel was so sweet and tender, unlike the ass he once was.

The thought of looking him in the face this morning terrified me. After being a blubbering idiot last night, I thought he’d seen the worst of me. I couldn’t help the rush of emotions I experienced last night when my box so violently opened. I could face the embarrassment, but not the aftermath of teasing.

After jumping out the bed, I glanced at the clock. The alarm clock said seven-thirty, just enough time for a shower and then dress for the drive to Thomas’s office. My schedule remained the same. I wanted to do a little shopping then run home to rummage through my father’s things.

Fully dressed, I walked down the stairs. I heard loud voices. A heated argument came from the kitchen. Charlotte’s voice was clear as crystal.

“I do not care what
you
think! It is too dangerous! I am not going through this again Thomas! I cannot handle it!” Her sharp voice was strong and loud.

“Mom, listen to me!” Daniel’s voice was tense and pleading. “She is stronger than you think. I agree with Dad, she has to be told. It is her right.”

“Damn it Charlotte! Martin… ” Thomas roared.

“I do not give a
damn
about what
HE
wanted,” she hissed at them. “I want her to be safe. You know how much I love that girl. If it were not for him and his wants, her mother would still be alive!”

“Charlotte! I think you have said enough. You have gone way over the line. You are forgetting what we stand for,” Thomas shot back.

“Then tell me that it is not true! You know as well as I do what her mother was. Did that stop him?”

“Charlotte! Stop it!” The rage in Thomas’s voice sent chills up my spine; even the hair prickled on my neck.

You know as well as I do what her mother was.
My heart dropped. Surely, with everything that has happened, could this be what they were hiding from me? What was my mother?

My legs weakened. The sick feeling returned to my stomach, making it difficult for me to breathe. In all my years, I’d never heard anyone talk about my mother in such a harsh way. My father would’ve probably killed them, or at least had the last word. I sat down on the stairs, until I heard silence. Then their conversations took a normal twist.

A new disarray of images filled my head. Something strange and odd happened with my family and I was a part of it. If there was a truth, at least Thomas and Daniel remained on my side. Inhaling deeply, I bit my bottom lip and stood. If there was something I needed to know, then they were going to tell me.

“Hey!” Casey stood behind me.

“Good morning.” I forced out a smile.

“Sleep well?”

“Yes, I guess so.”

We walked down the stairs and into the kitchen. Casey floated past Charlotte and headed for the coffee. I found myself the center of attention. Charlotte, Thomas and Daniel watched me carefully. I’m sure they noticed how uncomfortable I felt. Thomas eyed Charlotte and sat his coffee cup on the counter. Walking past me, he gently squeezed my arm.

“Good morning, dear. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.” His pace quickened when he rounded the corner into the great room.

“Julie, please come and sit down. I have made breakfast.” Charlotte stood and motioned for me to sit down.

There was no way I was going to let them know, at least not right now, the conversation I overheard. Taking the plate from Charlotte, I made my way to the counter beside of Daniel. I dared not lift my eyes to his for fear of embarrassment from last night’s outburst.

“Feeling better
?” he whispered low enough for me to hear. I nodded.

“Thank you.”

Picking through my food, my eyes kept time on my watch. I was eager to get home and go through Dad’s things now more than ever. The plans had changed slightly. Once in the car, when I hit the main road, I would call Thomas, explain to him I wasn’t ready to go over all the details today and then head to the house. Yep, good plan. Sticking with the plan, it was time to put it into effect.