Page 1 of When Darkness Calls

one

Dani

Ten Months Ago...

On the night when the veil between darkness and light is at its thinnest, I shouldn’t have been surprised coming face to face with a boogeyman.

“Are you sure? We weren’t going to stay much longer. Issac and I can take you home, Dani.” Lizzie’s face was painted in smears of red and black down the fullness of her cheeks and slim bridge of her nose. The clown makeup she had applied meticulously earlier in the day had been ruined from hours in the midst of sweaty costumed bodies writhing in the strobing lights and smoke hazed room.

My best friend had dragged me here, quite literally, against my will and better judgment. Halloween parties were fun. Great even. I’m not against them at all. Halloween is my favorite holiday, and I wait nearly all year to celebrate the one night I can be someone I’m not. However, this year, I did not want to be someone who goes to a party at a frat house.

“Yeah, y’all should stay and have fun. I already texted Cade and he’s on his way. I just really want to go home and get out of these wet clothes,” I grumble, pulling at the fabric around my thighs.

Some idiot tripped on the porch and dumped a beer and, maybe, vodka all over me. My hair clung to my neck and chest in tangled tendrils. The humid air inside the frat house sat like a lump in the back of my throat. No matter how deep the breath, air seemed to be absent inside the house. My skin felt glued together from the sticky residue left by the drinks. A shower was a must as soon as I walked through my bedroom door.

“Okay, Deeds. Just text me as soon as you get home. I’ll pick you up in the morning. 7:30?” Liz quirked her brow, her tone leaving no room for arguments.

“7:30. Be safe!” I waved back, making my way through the crowd to the front door. The cool night air was an instant relief. Crisp and cold, I could feel it filling my lungs with each inhale, a cloud of fog wafting through my lips to disappear into the dark night. A glance at my phone told me it was 12:11 a.m., officially Halloween.

Shitty ass way to start.

The music from inside the frat house dulled to a slow bass, then at once began picking back up as the familiar strings of “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” flowed through the still silence on the street.

Leaves rolled across the sidewalk in whispers. Wind blew slight breezes through ruffled orange trees, decorations bobbing from the branches they hang in. A gauzy white ghost hung from the porch railing beside me, floating ominously with round black eyes. A peace unlike any other settled into my bones. Tension waned from me in complete opposition to the waxing of the glowing moon, shining brightly through sparse clouds.

Flashes from headlights on the street catch my attention. As Cade’s black truck rolls to a slow stop, my stomach drops.

“What are you doing here?” I don’t know if the heat I feel in my cheeks is from the embarrassment of what happened earlier, or because of who it is staring at me from the driver’s seat of Cade’s truck. Probably both.

His gaze burns as his eyes trace over every inch of me.

Okay, maybe definitely the second one.

“It’s great to see you too, Dani Doll.” His voice is smooth and deep, but I can almost hear the tint of amusement I know is hiding behind the nonchalant, sarcastic mask he always wears.

“Where’s Cade?”

“He’s a little, uh, preoccupied,” he snorted. “Let me take you home.”

I groan, grabbing my phone and jacket, dragging my feet across the yard to the passenger door and sliding into the seat.

Just be chill, Danielle. Deep breaths. Small talk. Comfortable silence while the music plays. Just act normal.

But the silence between us is deafening and each inhale fills me with the sharp scent of his cologne. Blood roars in my ears, my heart pounds in my chest, and the quiet hum of the engine overlaying the playlist coming from the speakers does nothing to counter the harsh ringing through my head.

Grayson Williams.

Dark, almost black, curly hair that begs for my fingers to get tangled in each strand. Gray-blue eyes that feel like they see through me to my soul.

“You wanna tell me why you look like a wet rat and smell worse than a bar floor?”

Oh, yeah, I forgot. And sometimes he’s a… (drum roll please) …

Complete fucking asshole, guys, gals, and enby pals.

Yet every time I see him, my heart beats a little bit faster. I’ve never known a time when Grayson wasn’t in my life. Despite being one of Cade’s best friends, we’ve always had a connection of our own. Built on our ability to understand each other far more than the others.

He doesn’t start driving, instead he sits back and turns to me, arms crossed over his chest. Light from the streetlight glints off the rings on his fingers. His head tilts as he looks me over, teeth pulling at his lip ring, a sure sign he’s deep in thought.