Furever After (5 page)

I could never have expected the two men who walked through the door. They were both young, fit — and absolutely soaking wet. As they removed the bicycle helmets from their head, rivulets of water ran down the contours of the gear and onto the floor. Their hair was messy, strewn this way and that by the wind, and both of them looked miserable. I wondered how long they’d been riding for. They paused for a brief moment, chatting between themselves in a rapid-fire conversation that I couldn’t catch, before sitting down to order some food. I stood and walked over to them. “Can I help you?”

The man to the right smiled up at me, and I thought I would melt right then and there. Despite how wet he was, his smile was dazzling bright, seeming to reach all the way up to his piercing, emerald-green eyes. “Do you have anything hot?” he asked, with a chuckle. His friend smirked quietly, apparently laughing at an inside joke between the two of them.

“Well, we have the normal menu items. Ramen, burgers, etc. It’s slow right now, so I may be able to convince the cook to whip you up something special. I hope you don’t mind me saying it, but you two look miserable.”

He laughed again. “We went to sleep in the rain, woke up in the rain, and spent the past five hours riding in the rain. Yeah, we’re soaked through and through. It seems like it’s only gotten worse since last night.”

I looked at both of them, taking in the state of their clothing and gear. “Why didn’t you take shelter?”

The man to the left let out an exasperated sigh, and his friend turned to him and spoke in a language I didn’t understand, slugging him hard in the arm with a laugh. “That’s what he’s wanted to know all day,” the man replied. “We’re travelers. Or adventurers. Whatever you want to call us. We’re riding the entire country by bicycle, so we can’t let a little rain stop us.”

Finally, the man to the left spoke, his voice a rich baritone that sounded like what I’d imagine chocolate to sound like, if chocolate had a voice. “A little rain? It’s been a torrent all day.” They both had strange accents I couldn’t place, but seemed like friendly people.

“Let me go see about getting you something hot. While you wait, would you like some coffee?”

Their eyes lit up at this offer, and both men nodded. I laughed. It seemed like the love of coffee crossed international borders. “I’ll be right back, then.”

I darted into the kitchen, rousing my mom from her latest smart phone game. “Hey, we’ve got customers!” She glanced up at me, confused. “I said we have customers. Can you whip up some soup? They look like they’ve been out in the rain all day, and could really use something warm in their bellies.”

“Customers? In this weather? Are they crazy?” Mom just raised an eyebrow at me, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She never failed to speak her mind, especially when people pulled what she called fool-brained stunts that put themselves in danger. “Okay, fine. Let me make some of my special soup. But you make sure to charge them extra, okay? Not just anyone gets to have this, you know!” I nodded and dashed back out into the restaurant, where the two men sat at the counter. As soon as I flipped on the coffee and it began to brew, I heard them sigh.

“So how long have you two been on the road?” I asked, trying to make small talk. I couldn’t quite place it, but I wanted to talk to the. They were interesting, and I swear it was because of more than just their incredible good looks.

“Around three weeks, I guess,” said the man on the right. He shot an inquisitive glance at his friend, who nodded. “Once you’ve been out there long enough, things just kind of blend together. One day fades into the next, all that.”

“That’s a long time to spend cycling, day in and day out!” I said. “It’s really impressive. I’m Liz, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you, Liz. I’m James. This is Ethan.”

Ethan nodded to me, quiet as ever. It was clear who was the more charismatic of the two, but as I looked at Ethan, I could see a blazing intelligence sparking behind those hazel-swirled eyes, as well as a healthy sense of humor. The coffee pot
dinged
, and I turned quickly to it, pouring two cups of coffee with an ease that only years of practice can bring. The two men didn’t even wait for it to cool; they both immediately raised it to their lips and drank the cups down in a single gulp.

I stared at them in awe. That coffee should have been way too hot to drink, but neither one of them seemed phased. In fact, Ethan closed his eyes with bliss, enjoying the full-bodied flavor of the drink. James turned to me and raised an eyebrow. “Can I have another?”

Ethan quickly placed his cup next to Ethan’s. “Me too.”

I laughed and obliged. After they had finished the second cup, I heard mom shouting from the back. She had finished the soup, so I retrieved it and sat it in front of them. “Do you two mind if I sit and talk while you eat?”

James nodded his head. “Not at all. Please, join us.”

“Thanks!” I smiled at them, giddy at the fact they accepted me there. It was a slow day, and both of them seemed so…romantic. Just two men wandering around the world. “So have you had any crazy adventures while you’ve been on the road?”

Ethan nearly choked on his soup, turning his face away to stifle laughter. James shot him a sour look, and it was clear I’d struck a nerve. James answered, “Not really,” but Ethan cut him off quickly.

“Don’t let him lie to you, Liz,” Ethan said. “We’ve had plenty of crazy adventures, including the first day on the road. It was soaking wet out — kind of like today, really — and the weather had shown no signs of improving. James here hadn’t tied his pannier on right, and only made it a few hundred feet up the road before he tumbled head-over-heels off the bicycle and into the middle of the sidewalk.”

“I don’t think it was as dramatic as all that,” James said.

“Oh no! Were you hurt?” I could just imagine the sort of impact that must have caused. Ethan chuckled again.

“No, he wasn’t hurt. He’s too hard headed to get hurt from something as minor as a wreck. Besides, he had a helmet on.” Ethan leaned over James and whispered to me conspiratorrially, but loud enough that James clearly heard. “That’s why his hair is such a mess now, actually!”

James turned and punched him hard in the arm, but Ethan only laughed. Although he was a quiet guy, he had a brilliant smile and a kind laugh. I thought it was a shame he didn’t laugh more often or more easily.

“So what are your plans for the rest of the day?” I asked. The weather looked bad, and James turned to glance back out the door. Ethan just scowled at the water that fell from the sky.

“I’m not sure,” James answered. “Neither of us wants to ride in this. It’s a bit too much, even for us. Still, this town isn’t very big…” his trailed off, shooting a quick look in my direction. “No offense.”

“Oh, none taken,” I said. “Think about it from my perspective: I’m 19, and there’s absolutely nothing for me to do here. But I may have a solution for you; we actually have rooms upstairs, but they’re rarely used, since we so often see visitors. You’re welcome to them, but they may be a bit musty.”

The two of them once again spoke in that strange language. I couldn’t identify it; it sounded like no language I’d ever heard before. Ethan turned to me. “How much is it?”

“I think you two can have it for free,” I said, laughing. “You look like you’ve had a rough day.”

He smiled that strange smile again. “You’re very kind. We appreciate it. To be honest, we don’t have very much money; we’re kind of on a budget here.”

That seemed strange to me. Neither one of them looked like they struggled for cash; in fact, both had the air of people who knew their way around money. But it wasn’t really any of my business, so I didn’t pry. “I’ll go get the rooms ready, then. You two finish your soup, and if you want more, just ring the bell there. Some more will be out shortly.”

They thanked me again, and I stepped into the hallway and went upstairs to get everything ready. For the first time in what felt like ages, something exciting was happening again.

—

I knocked lightly on the door of the room, and James opened it. “Yes?” he asked.

“I’ve brought your dinner,” I said. “I figured you two would be hungry again soon, and since you’re guests here, I thought I’d bring it to you. Don’t worry, it’s not soup again. The cook whipped up something special for you, so I hope you enjoy it.” I could see past James to where Ethan lie on the bed in his beat-up jeans and a plain white t-shirt, the fabric clinging to the contours of his well-toned body. It was enough to make me forget my manners for a moment.

“Thank you, Liz,” James said, his smile gentle. “It’s much appreciated. We actually just woke up from a nap a few minutes ago. Well, I did. Ethan’s snoring ensured that.”

I laughed. The two of them liked to tease one another, but they seemed like such good friends. “Did you sleep well? Is the room okay?”

James nodded. “We slept very well, and the room more than meets our needs. We’re rather simple men, when it comes down to it. Give us a warm meal and a soft bed, and that’s all we need. The nap helped to take care of some of the chill from earlier.”

“That’s good,” I said. “You have to be careful not to catch a cold from being soaking wet all day.” As we spoke, I heard the doorbell below jingle. “I’ll check back later to pick up the dishes. You can just leave them in front of the door. Have a good night!” James nodded as I pivoted on my heel and ran downstairs. Another set of customers, on a day like today? That was extremely surprising.

What I saw when I got downstairs made my blood run cold. The men that came in did not look like regular customers; they were dressed all in black, with chains hanging from their clothing. Their leader bore a nasty scar that ran across his face, and he had his foot on one of the tables. He had spiky blond hair that was raised in a faux-hawk through the center of his head, and most of his companions bore similar stylings. What struck me most about the men was their eyes; they looked yellow, almost cat-like.

“Can I help you?” I asked, keeping my voice and smile pleasant despite the apprehension I felt.

The man looked at me, his eyes raking over my body in a way that made me feel as though I need a shower. “You have no idea, little girl,” he said. His sneer was cold, and the gazes of his friends made me want to hide. “But actually, we’re looking for a couple of guys. We think they may have stopped by here earlier.”

A couple of guys? They couldn’t mean James and Ethan. What would these thugs want with them? “Sorry, but you’re the first customers we’ve had today.” I shot a glance to the counter and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that it had been cleaned.

The man chuckled. “That so?” Before I could react, he kicked the table over, shattering it against the wall with the force of the blow. I flinched; I hadn’t expected them to be so violent. “Stop lying to me, you little bitch.” He strode towards me, but I couldn’t run away. I was too scared, too afraid not only for myself, but for my mother and the two men up stairs. He grabbed my chin in his hands. “I know they’ve been here, and if you don’t tell me where they went, I’m going to have my way with you. And then I’m going to let each one of my friends here do whatever they want with what’s left. And then, maybe, if you’re lucky, you get to have me again.”

My blood had turned to ice at this point. I felt tears welling in the corners of my eyes, but I refused to give in. I’d dealt with men like this before, I could do it again. Except it had only been school yard bullies, not an entire gang. My heart thudded in my chest.

What was I supposed to do?

I wasn’t strong enough. I couldn’t run. And I couldn’t give up Ethan and James…

A voice, sharp and brittle as steel, cut through the air. “Take your hands off of her.”

The thug’s grip loosened, and I gasped and turned around. James stood in the doorway behind me, his hair tousled and his shirt half-buttoned. Ethan stood behind him, stifling a yawn. “No, James! You need to get out of here!”

He looked at me. “Hush, Liz. Go to your mother. Ethan?”

“Got it,” he said, stopping yet another yawn. He walked around James, grabbed me by the arm, and led me down the hall into the kitchen. “Don’t argue with him,” he said quietly as we walked. “Just stay in here with your mom, keep quiet, and don’t draw any attention to yourselves. And don’t call the police.”

“But —“ Ethan put a finger on my lips, leaning down to look eye to eye with me. He smiled that same curious smile as before. “It will be fine, okay? Now be a good girl and wait here.”

He turned and walked down the hallway. I couldn’t see him after he turned the corner, but the moment he did, I heard a shout and a cry of agony. The voice didn’t sound like either he or James.

I waited in the kitchen for a few minutes, listening to the obvious sounds of a brawl in the other room. Finally, I could’ wait any longer — I darted out the kitchen, walking along the wall as quietly as possible, and peeked around the corner. I had to bite down on my hand to keep from shouting.

All of the thugs save the leader lay on the floor, bruised and bleeding. A few had obvious broken bones. The leader looked menacingly at both James and Ethan, neither one of which seemed to be injured in anyway. James was giving him a stern command. “Get out of here, Clay. You know you aren’t welcome, and you know you can’t defeat an alpha. Give it up.”

The thug named Clay spat on the floor. “You’re no alpha! You’re just a coward who hides behind his brother and won’t fight his own battles.”