My Love Eternal

“Hey, wanna dance?” His words were slurred and he leant in way too close for my liking. I was not a touchy person by nature, especially with drunken men who only wanted to get in my pants.

“No, thanks. It’s against my religion.”

He took a swig from the beer in his one hand, and made a grab for my arm with the other. “C’mon.” Then he gave me what I guessed he thought was a sexy look.

I pulled my arm back. “I said no thanks,” I returned with the dirtiest look I could muster.

He frowned, looking at me with his bleary eyes. “Whatever.” As he sauntered away, he managed to spill his beer down the front of my new dress.

I jumped up in disgust, but the crowd had already swallowed him. I made my way to the ladies’ room, cursing my existence the entire way. As I hastily walked by a set of booths closest to the washroom, my gaze was drawn to a man on his own. He stood casually next to a table full of rowdy girls, barely past the legal drinking age. The four of them were checking him out, all the while hilariously trying to seem as though they weren’t. Just as I was about to pass, I realised who the object of their attention was—the stranger from the hospital.

My heart jumped and the alcohol I’d consumed lurched in my stomach. I remembered the conversation I’d had with Allen, and the four deaths, and still found myself walking in his direction. I wanted to confront him, but about what? The words played out in my mind, Hello weird, gorgeous guy, who may or may not have been hitting on me. Did you come to the hospital last night to kill four seriously sick or injured persons, then casually wander away to chat me up? What was it I should ask him?

“Hello again.” That curious, and indiscernable accent again. As soon as the words came out of his mouth, my resolve faltered. He looked harmless. Wonderful actually.

“Hello.”

“Having some trouble?” He indicated in the direction of the bar.

I looked down at my dress and shrugged. “About par for course. Are you here alone?”

“I told you I was new in town.”

“That you did.”

“And you? Certainly a girl like you is not alone.” His seemed to be teasing, but I couldn’t be certain.

I looked around, but Shannon was nowhere to be seen. “I’m here with my roommate. She’s the manager and drags me here sometimes.”

“Not your cup of tea?”

We looked at each other and that strange mixture of feelings tugged at me again—fear, desire and lustful anxiety. God he was lovely, but it was something more than that, something dark.

He leant in close and his lips brushed my ear when he spoke. “Maybe you should head home then.” His presence stirred something warm in the lower regions of my anatomy. He took my arm and we started to walk from the bar. I should have ripped my arm out of his grasp, but again he was not doing anything that could be construed as threatening. How he could be influencing me I was not sure, and at that moment I wasn’t sure I cared.

As we neared the door, we passed Shannon, who was talking to one of her employees. Instead of approaching, she gave me the thumbs up, surmising I’d scored. She mouthed “Wow” then we were outside. The night whispered gently, but still had a bite of cool autumn air. We took a few steps from the club, and it was as though I was watching what was happening from outside my body. I wasn’t drunk by any stretch, but I felt so out of it. He was just smiling, and holding my arm lightly in a way most men didn’t anymore. I wasn’t even bothered by the dampness of my dress against my skin.

He turned to face me then, and noticed for the first time that he wasn’t very tall, maybe five foot eight or nine, and slim, but in a solid, masculine way. Dressed in jeans, and a dark t-shirt, the whiteness of his arms caught in the moonlight. My breathing was very loud, almost louder than the music from the club. Tainted Love was playing inside, and the sound hovered just on the edge of my awareness. I could smell the sweetness of the rain though it wasn’t falling, and tasted liquor on my tongue. My body throbbed to the tempo of the music, or my heart, and I couldn’t be sure which. I was warm though the air was cool, and more aware of the night than I had ever been before.

Slowly, he moved in toward me, and I was paralysed. He was so close I thought he would kiss me, but instead he spoke with that soft, seductive voice of his. “You are so beautiful. I have thought of no one else since I saw you last night.” His hand slid up my arm, and into my hair. His lips were soft against my throat. I’d never been so aroused in my life. I was trembling and hungry for his body.

He hesitated, then looked me in the eyes once more. “It’s like I can feel you in my head. I will see you again. You have touched me…but I’m conflicted. I should just leave you alone, yet I don’t seem to want to. I’ll be watching.” Then his lips brushed against mine, the night swirled, and there was nothing else but his touch. I swayed and closed my eyes against the dizziness.

When I opened my eyes, he was gone.