The Darkness We Hide

Michelle woke, Gareth snoring lightly next to her. With a mischievous grin, she slowly rolled over and tickled him around the ribs. With a low growl Gareth reached out and began tickling her in return, causing her to squirm desperately to escape his roving fingers.

“I give, I give,” she laughed, her breaths coming in short painful gasps.

“Serves you right,” Gareth chuckled as she managed to crawl out of bed. He watched as she pulled her robe on and turned on the coffee pot. God she was beautiful. It wasn’t just her exterior beauty, he’d realized over the last few months that it was her soul that glowed so brightly, surrounding her with light. The soul the Goddess had chosen for him.

“Do you want me to pick you up tonight?” Gareth asked, reaching out to touch her leg as she passed.

“No,” Michelle said, sitting on the bed next to him trying to tie her shoes. “I told you, Sylvia said she’d cover for me, but she can’t make it until eleven. That gives me just over an hour to make it to the ferry. That’s plenty of time, and there’s no point in you waiting around all night for me. I'm going to pack as soon as I get back to my place and put it in the car so I just have to get in and go.

“Just text me the directions to where we’re going and have a fire going when I get there,” she finished, pulling on her jacket.

“Are you sure?” he asked, gently stroking her cheek.

“Yes,” Michelle said, leaning down to kiss him. “I’m a big girl. I’ll be fine.”

They left together, holding hands like school kids. At her car he gave her a long, deep kiss.

“Call me when you get to the landing on Bainbridge, I’ll have hot cocoa ready by the time you get to the cabin,” Gareth said, bringing her hand to his lips. He watched her get into her car and drive away.

Michelle’s smile faded as soon as she drove away, her heartbeat pounding in her ear. Something had occurred to her earlier in the shower with Gareth, as his fingers explored between her legs, something that she should have thought about before.

Wracking her mind, she couldn’t remember when her last period had been. Now she sat on the edge of her bed she rocked herself slowly as she waited the five minutes for the test to finish. She’d stopped at a drugstore before hurrying back to her apartment, her heart in her throat.

How could she have been so stupid?

She knew the answer before she’d even finished asking herself the question.

When Gareth was around all she could think about was being with him, of feeling him against her body, in her body. Sometimes they remember to use protection, but more often than not they were too distracted to think about it.

Looking at her watch, she saw that her time was up. It was time to face the music.

Picking up the stick she steeled her nerves before looking at the results.

She walked to work distracted by her news waffling between elation and terror. How was she going to break it to Gareth that she was pregnant? Entering the bar her mood went from nervous terror to absolute dread. Sitting in his usual seat, far enough away from her so that he wasn’t violating the restraining order, was Richard.

He looked up from his table, his face instantly brightening when he saw her. Breaking eye contact first, she hurried to the back office, her hands shaking as she clocked in. Returning to the counter, she found Richard standing just on the other side, far too close for her comfort.

“Michelle,” he said, his face a mask she couldn’t read. “I’ve missed you.”

“Richard,” she said, holding up her hand. “I would like, more than anything, to forget that I ever met you, let alone dated you.”

His face darkened dangerously despite the smile he seemed to be forcing. Instead of saying anything, he simply nodded and went back to his table..

With a sigh, Michelle turned back to her other customers and tried to concentrate on her work.

Never had a night seemed to drag on so slowly. Every order seemed to get messed up, Richard continued to sit and stare, she’d even managed to get gum stuck to the soles of both of her shoes.

She was overjoyed when Sylvia came in to take over. Gratefully she handed over the tabs and receipts before grabbing her purse and slipping out the back door.

“Are you done for the night?” Richard asked, startling her as she stepped into the alley.

“Just leave me alone,” she replied nervously, fear rising in her gut. Looking around, she couldn’t see anyone who could help her if he decided to attack her again.

Lowering her head, she started walking away from him quickly, praying not to feel his hands grab her from behind.

Richard watched her get into her car, the anger he’d been nursing since finding out that Gareth was fucking her was now a full blown inferno.

She was pregnant! He could smell it on her, the scent was unmistakable. She was carrying that lycan creatures child!