Angela

 

 

Angela cracked the door open and peered out carefully. She hated everything from the way she feared her rescuer to the way she felt so drawn to him. It was confusing and made ever more complicated by the visions that kept ripping through her brain. They were coming as many as twice a day and she didn’t know what to make of them. It wasn’t like she could ask. Arlen would likely think she was insane and send her on her way. Something about the thought of him kicking her out didn’t sit well with her.

The apartment beyond her door was still and silent.

The coast was clear.

Arlen hadn’t come back yet. She was torn by the notion of being alone. It made her uneasy to have no one to rely on and yet, she was so uneasy while he was around that it was almost a relief. She widened the gap enough to slip out of the bedroom. She hadn’t ventured out since her arrival and figured it was time to woman up. That…and she was starving.

The apartment had an open floor plan and she could see every darkened corner and crevice without any trouble. Arlen had told her that the shadows who’d taken her and her former lover, Brad, were dead and taken care of. The memory of allowing that man to touch her in such an intimate way made her skin crawl with hatred and disgust. He had been one hell of an actor to cover the vile, nasty person underneath the handsome façade.

She remembered the way his eyes had lit up when the blade of his dagger pressed too far and broke skin. He’d watch the trickle of blood as it seeped from the tiny incision. His friends had been just as perverted and twisted. It was exactly those memories which kept her from sleeping for more than a few hours at night.

She shuffled into the kitchen and glanced around for something to make. It had been a while since she’d let her creative side out. She crept to the refrigerator and pulled the double doors open. Her eyes widened as she took in the contents. Fresh fruit and vegetables were plentiful with rows upon rows of bottled water and freshly squeezed juice. As she finally noticed what was missing, her thoughts turned sour. No milk, no eggs, no meat…was Arlen a vegan?

Her longing for something meaty intensified with the knowledge that she couldn’t have it. Being a vegan could prove to be a major deal breaker for Angela as no man would ever convince her to give up tacos and ice cream.

Angela snagged peppers, onions, and a handful of other fresh veggies and scooted to the sink. She washed them and patted them dry. Within minutes everything was chopped and waiting while she raided the cupboards searching for anything she could use. Soy sauce, peppercorns, and cider vinegar prove to be promising and she turned her thoughts to a stir fry of some sort.

After the orange zest, the room was filled with the beautifully complex fragrance of the simmering food. The simple dish was refreshing and tension oozed from her bunched shoulders as she eased into her work. Cooking and baking had always been her release from her problems. The only thing missing was a good bottle of wine and her phone, which she’d have plugged into her speakers for some musical inspiration.

She plated up the dish and settled into the seat at the table. It smelled delicious and she shoved a heaping fork full into her mouth. Her eyes fluttered shut as she savored the succulent flavors and simplicity.

“You look like you’re thoroughly enjoying that.” Arlen chuckled from just inside the doorway.

Angela just about came out of her skin in fright, though she only managed a tiny squeak as opposed to a blood curdling scream. She didn’t move from her seat and refused to tear her gaze from the newcomer.

“Please don’t stop on my account. I was just taking in your complete enjoyment in your food. I’ve never seen anything like it before.” He gave her a small lopsided smile and moved closer. He pulled out the chair adjacent to her and sat down.

Angela had never seen him smile before and she found herself unable to pull her eyes from his vivid purple ones. Instead of having dimples, he had shallow clefts which punctuated his cheeks outside of his lips. Fantasies of tracing over them with her tongue ignited within her, taking her by surprise.

Where had that come from? She hurried to shovel another bite into her mouth. Her cheeks bloomed with heat, giving away her embarrassment.

“That’s a beautiful look on you,” he said.

She coughed, swallowing what remained. “Umm, thank you.” She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Angela found herself surprised that she was beginning to settle in the man’s presence instead of cowering in fear. “D-did you have a n-n-nice outing?” she stammered, trying to make light hearted conversation.

He nodded, putting a damper on her short-lived burst of bravery.

Angela clammed back up and pushed her food around her plate without eating it. She let her hair fall back in front of her eyes. It helped her to feel invisible even as it seemed ridiculous. She wanted to sink right through the floor to escape Arlen’s watchful gaze. Nothing escaped him.

 A hefty thud accompanied by the sound of shattering glass rang loudly from the bedroom and drove the pair to their feet. Arlen was moving before Angela had gotten all the way out of her chair. She froze, terrified that it was one of those shadow creatures coming back to finish the job.

“Shit!” Arlen exclaimed from the bedroom. 

Angela stepped towards the room then stopped as her better sense kicked in. Arlen was a big boy. He could handle himself, right? With that, she convinced herself to stay put and not venture further, favoring self-preservation over the alternative.

“Are you, umm, alright?” she squeaked, pressing up on to her toes as if it would make her see better.

He silently stepped forth from the room. His eyes were dark and she instantly knew whatever had caused the ruckus hadn’t been good. Arlen’s body was tense and he kept glancing at each of the windows, like he was searching for something, or someone.

“What is it?” she asked again, hugging her arms to herself tightly.

He held up a bone handled dagger. It had a blue crystal adorning its butt and a piece of parchment tied around it. The blade looked sharp enough to slice through a man without any effort. The bottom fell out of her belly and she sat quickly in the nearest chair, feeling the tiny hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. She’d been right. They were coming for her again.