Dark Talez Book 1 Red

Little Red

Randon offered to walk me home after dropping me off but I declined his offer. I just wanted to be alone. It took a lot for me to decide to stay in Grimm Hollow. It was a big move and was one I never in a million years thought I would make. I was mentally and emotionally exhausted and I just wanted to rest. Besides, tonight was the full moon. I had to lock up the cabin before nightfall and prepare to ride out the night in the cellar alone.

I reach the cabin at dusk and hurried inside locking the door behind me. I shut and locked all the windows and closed the shutters and locked them. I was just about to descend into the cellar when there was a knock at the door.

It was dark outside.

“It could be anyone or anything.” I thought as my eyes looked at the cedar wooden door. My hands began to shake and memories of the night I dreamt of constantly began to fill my bones. Not picture memories but feelings. The rawest fear I imagine someone feels as they look into the eyes of their murderer.

Knock… knock… knock…

Bang... Bang... Bang...

The knocks grew more frantic, and louder.

I began to slowly and quietly creep to the door.

"Red, open the door .” Randon’s voice sounded from the other side. I let out the breath I had not knew I was holding and rushed to the door unlocking all the locks and swinging it open.

“Get in here! What are you thinking of being out this late ?” I yelled at him angrily.

"I didn't want you to have to be alone tonight, he admitted as I relocked the door. I shook my head and pointed my finger.

“ Cellar now!” I growled at Randon who chuckled but descended the steps with me following behind him. Once inside I closed the doors and bolted them with the silver chain and lock my grandmother had blessed by our high priestess. Nothing evil could pass that door.

The cellar was like a small house. There were two small twin beds, a small table with chairs, and a refrigerator with a small gas oven. My grandma thought of everything when she and grandpa set this place up. Though before the night I got lost they never used it. Before the night that ccaused me to live Grimm Hollow, we never hid during a full moon. We celebrated. We lost a lot that night including my grandma, and I couldn't remember a damn thing, so it was blamed on the creatures that lived in Mystic Hills, though I wasn't so sure.

I sat down at the table and picked up my tarot cards and began shifting them nervously.

"Randon, I am a grown woman. I am not some scared little girl anymore. I don't need yours or anyone else's to protect me.

Randon ignored me and pulled up a chair beside me.

“Read me, Red!” he smiled.

I couldn't believe Randon had used the nickname he had given me so long ago. It had been far too long before it had passed his beautiful lips, and it felt good to hear him say his pet name to me. I nodded my head and began to shuffle the tarot cards, but Randon put his hand over mine stopping me.

"You know you don't need those.” he tilted his head toward the cards. Not many in this town knew of my abilities. But Randon knew everything about me, and he knew that with a touch I could see someone's past, present, and future.

I looked into Randon’s eyes pausing for a moment. I was worried. Anxious about what I would see. Worried about seeing him with a new love, seeing him show someone else the same affection he had once showed me.

Finally, I nodded my head and took his hand in mine. The same thing sensation I always had felt when touching him spread up my arm. The warm tingles made my head dizzy but I keot my composure.

"You know what to do, concentrate." I instructed him just before I closed my eyes and allowed my mind to go blank. I had read Randon several times before but all I ever seen was us. Our relationship had always been the most important thing to him. This time was different.

First up was his past. The day he realized I was gone. The hurt that I could feel coursing through his body. The weeks of constant calls, text, emails. "Why Red, Why would you do this to us?” he uttered to no one as he sat alone on his bed holding a picture of us playing in mystic hills.

Then finally as soon as he had started to move on from his grief his father passed. I saw him standing beside his father holding his hand. "I'm sorry father. Sorry you aren't like me. I wish you were. Don't worry, I'll take care of everything .”

What was Randon talking about? More like him? What did that mean?

After his fathers death Randon took all his hurt, anger, and confusion and out it into his schooling. He passed the bar exam and took over his fathers business.

He was one of two lawyers offices in town. The other being ran by those crooked Franklin’s. All their dealing were under the table and back handed. Money could get you anything with them. .

Then something flashed before my eyes. Something I hadn't known. Randon had came to New York on a trip for his business license. He had seen me. Watched as I laughed and giggled with Ensley as we strode down the street.

Randon had also visited my Nana regularly. They drank coffee and spoke of me. He sat with her on days that she was lonely. She thought a lot of him, always had.

Just before I pulled away, two things flashed through my mind. It was so fast I wasn't even sure that I had seen iit. The face of a beautiful woman, and the face of a wolf. A beautiful white wolf.

I had no idea what the wolf represented, but I had a clue as to who the woman was, Lilith Franklyn. She had been trying to get her hooks into Randon since we were children. It seems she may have now succeeded.

I opened my eyes slowly and Randon’s beautiful swirls of gold and green starred back at me. I could get lost in his gaze. It was my favorite place to be, other than his arms.

Randon leaned forward and slowly lifted his hand caressing my cheek. I leaned into his touch relishing in the singles cascading over my skin. His hand went from my cheek to my neck and then before I knew it he was tracing my collar hone. Random leaned forward and so did I. I wanted nothing more than to taste him, touch him, caress him.

Just before our lips touched a loud howl sounded outside making me jump from the chair and knocking it over. Random jumped from his seat and clashes his hand over my mouth leading me to the bed. He covered us up with the blanket and held me tightly around the waist.

“Close your eyes Red, the big bad wolf will be gone by morning. Sleep,” he whispered as he addressed my body keeping the shivering away. My eyelids became heavy. They slowly closed. Just before sleep pulled me under I could have sworn I heard Randon whisper something into my ear.

“You’ll always be my little red.”