The next day arrived, and with it came the eventuality of the evening. I dreaded the five o'clock hour, and made more than my fair share of mistakes that day.
At four-thirty Vorax threw his arms in the air. "That's enough! You've drowned enough flowers today! I don't care if the order is early! Out with you!"
The requested bouquets were duly stuffed into my car and I made the trip to the spacious uptown neighborhood of Park Place Avenue. The city I lived in was divided by a river that ran from the northern mountains to the port in the south. The majority of people lived on the southwestern side while the commercial district took up the eastern shores. The Avenue, however, was different.
Park Place and its equally fashionable cousin Boardwalk Avenue were situated in the center of the commercial district. It was an old area filled with brownstone homes and luxurious high-rise apartments. Around the shore homes and tall apartments was the business heart and-if it had one-soul of the city. Skyscrapers mixed with skyline and brownstone with business to create a cacophony of confusion.
I stopped in a long line of traffic a few blocks from my destination. A glimmer of the last bit of sunlight shone off the largest building in the city, Indigo Towers. I leaned forward and frowned at the strange, capital 'I' shaped structure that ruled the skyline. Its glistening windows slyly grinned down at the rest of us. Even someone in a position to live at Park Place couldn't compete with the wealth behind that monstrosity of wealth.
The light ahead of me turned green and traffic moved onward. I fell back against my seat and followed the lines of cars. One-by-one the drivers in front of me veered off onto side streets until only me and a few posh imported cars drove forward.
I spotted the Park Place Penthouse. It was an imposing tan-colored stone building some forty floors tall. The edifice was ornate, with flowing curls above the windowsills and wide ledges that marked each floor. Hunched gargoyles sat on its corners and glared down at the people who passed by. The front doors were accessed via wide, long steps.
I parked my car on the sidewalk and stepped out. The doorman in front of the building hurried down the steps. His eyes swept over my car and his lips curled back in disdain.
"I'm sorry, miss, but this parking is for guests of the Penthouse," he told me.
I walked around my car and dug out a folded business card for the flower shop. "I'm here to make a delivery," I told him as I hand him the card.
He read the contents and his eyes widened. "Oh yes, you're expected," he told me as he handed back the card. He dug out a card and handed it to me before he pointed to his right. "If you would, the parking garage is around the corner. You're in berth thirteen."
I glanced down at the card. It was a parking pass. "I don't really need this. It'll only take a few minutes," I assured him.
"I'm afraid it's the rules, miss. Deliveries must park in the garage," he insisted.
I frowned and crumpled the parking pass in my fist. "Fine, have it your way."
I slipped back into my car and drove around the corner. The road narrowed, and on the right was an open garage door. A booth sat between the entrance and exit. I pulled up to the window and held out the card. A man pulled aside the glass and leaned out.
"Delivery for room 30," I told the man.
He took the pass, punched it, and smiled at me as he returned the paper. "That's a good pass. You can stay here for as long as you like with that one."
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
He leaned on the sill of his window and nodded at the paper in my hand. "That pass is good indefinitely. You can come and go whenever you please, and stay as long as you like."
I glanced down at the pass. There really was no time limit anywhere in the description. "Thanks. I'll remember that," I replied.
He smiled and nodded. "No problem, and don't forget to put it on the dashboard."
I drove forward into the garage. Parking spot number thirteen was on the first floor and around the first corner. It was a straight shot to the berth, and both fourteen and fifteen were empty. I parked and stepped out. A stairway and elevator just behind me and across the way allowed access to the residential part of the apartment building.
Whoever lived here, they had money.
I pulled out the bouquet of flowers and walked into the elevator. Number 30 was the last floor on the list. I pressed the button and stepped back as the doors shut. The elevator shot up, and so did my heart rate. I pressed the flowers close to me and prayed that a woman would answer the door.
I reached my destination. The doors swung open and revealed a small lobby. The walls were white and the floor was real wood. On the opposite side of the lobby from the elevator was a pair of white doors. I stepped out and the elevator doors shut behind me.
The flowers were just about ruined by the time I stood in front of the pair of doors. A buzzer lay on the right side of the doors. I stretched out a finger to press the button.
The door in front of me creaked open. I stiffened as the portal opened into a dark realm. The light from the lobby barely penetrated the darkness that lay beyond the doors. I stepped forward and peeked inside. Dark shapes of furniture lay in the center of the penthouse. The windows on the left and right were blocked by thick, blood-red cloth curtains.
"Hello?" I called. My voice echoed through the large room.
"Good evening."
I screamed and stumbled to my left. My back gouged into the closed door and the flowers fell to the floor. I spun around and swung my fist in the direction of the voice. My hand was captured in a palm and eclipsed by a strength greater than mine. The open door slammed shut and lights were flicked on.
I found myself in the grasp of the strange man from yesterday. On his pale lips was a sly smile. He wore an elegant evening suit of black pants and a white shirt that lacked the usual black coat.
"I'm sorry I frightened you," he apologized.
I pulled my fist from his grasp and rubbed my sore back. "I doubt it. You meant to do that," I accused him.
He chuckled. "I must admit I did, though I didn't mean for you to injure yourself, nor drop these wonderful flowers." He stooped and scooped up the bouquets. The yellow color of the flowers accentuated his pallor. He swept one arm towards the living room that lay in the center of the room. "Won't you sit down?"
I pulled out the acceptance slip and a pen, and held them out to him. "I'd rather you just sign this so I can go."
"We'll be leaving in a minute," the man promised as he turned away .
"What does that mean?" I questioned him.
The strange man walked over to a large, empty vase on the thick cherry coffee table. He set the bouquets inside the vase and turned to me. "I have quite an evening set out for us." His eyes swept over my body. "Though your attire does leave something to be desired."
I stalked up to him and jabbed the pen and paper into his chest. "I just need you to sign this and I'll be leaving. Without your company."
He took the pen and paper, and tucked them into his pants pocket. "I will gladly sign the receipt, but after we've had our fun."
"We're not having anything except a quick goodbye, now please sign the receipt or-" He grasped my hands in his cold grip and pressed me against him.
I tilted my head back and looked up into his dazzling blue eyes. He leaned down and spoke in a soft, seductive whisper. "Don't you wish to stay?"
He was handsome and enticing when he wasn't being a creep, and right then he was being a creep. I pulled away from him, but couldn't free my hands. "No, now let me go or I'll call the cops."
He straightened. The sly smile remained on his lips. "Very well." He opened his hands and I slipped mine out from his.
Except now there was something in one of my palms. I frowned and opened my hand. My eyes widened as I beheld a beautiful gold chain. Attached to the bottom of the chain was a small red ruby shaped into a perfect circle. I looked up at him with my m
outh agape.
He leaned forward and clasped the necklace around my neck. I pressed my hand against the beautiful gift. It fit perfectly above my breasts. "A little gift, for your trouble."
I glanced from his face to the necklace and back. "For. . .for me?"
He nodded. "Yes. For the trouble I've caused. It could be a parting gift, if you wish, or one of many. That is, if you choose to join me this evening."
I leaned back and raised an eyebrow. "What exactly did you have in mind?"
His smile widened and he swept his arm to a closed door. "Inside you will find an evening gown. It's been fitted to your size. I'd like for you to join me this evening at a small gathering of my-well, my acquaintances."
I half-turned away from him and studied his face. "Why me?"
"Why not?" he returned.
I shrugged. "I'm not exactly in your league when it comes to credit card limits."
"Does that matter?" he wondered.
My eyebrow arched higher. "Shouldn't it?"
He chuckled eyes and shook his head. "It matters not to me." He glanced at his watch. "Unfortunately, you have only a few minutes to choose. The dinner begins at six, and I make a habit of being punctual." His eyes fell on me, and he held out his hand to me. "Won't you come? I promise the evening won't be dull."
I hesitated for a moment. My eyes flickered between his dazzling face and his pale hand. The pros and cons flitted through my mind. His strange vibe both attracted and repulsed me, but I found myself strangely drawn to him. The heavy weight of the necklace was a definite pro, but one problem stuck in my thoughts.
"I don't even know your name," I pointed out.
He swept his arm across his chest and bowed to me. "It's very rude of me, isn't it? I must apologize for that by telling you my name. It is Simon Cruor."
"Never heard of it," I commented.
He raised his head and smiled at me. "I prefer to keep a low profile." He straightened and offered me his hand again. "But will you come, or would you rather return to that flower shop tomorrow with nothing but fleeting memories of what might have been?"
I pursed my lips, but shrugged. "Why not?"
His eyes sparkled with a strange autumn hue and his smile widened. "Then it will be an honor to show you what the night offers."
I took his hand and let him lead me to a new fate.
CHAPTER 4