The Haunted (Sleeping with Monsters Book 1) (14 page)

Couples
bowed out one by one – and then the lights flickered, encouraging everyone else
to disperse, while they could still find their rooms. Daphne busied herself
taking their dishes into the kitchen to give Mrs. Dudley a headstart on
morning’s breakfast.

“Meet
you upstairs, pet?” Richard asked, with a leer.

“Soon,”
she promised him. He was so drunk chances were he’d be asleep the second his
head hit the pillow.

Once
she was the only one still up, the house felt like hers again. She cleared the
last of the wine bottles away – Richard did know the compunctions of his
friends, apparently – and washed her hands in the sink before heading back to
the entry way, past the library.

The
lights were off, but lightning flashes illuminated through the library’s uncurtained
windows, and she thought she saw a figure standing there. She walked in on
tip-toes.

“Is
it you?” she asked, breathless.

“I
don’t know. Is it?” a drunken voice answered her.

Another
lightning flash, and she saw Glenn there, holding a snifter of brandy, looking
not unlike the Master’s portrait. “Your bedroom’s upstairs –“

“I
know. I couldn’t sleep. Jet lag.” He leaned against the desk, which had half as
many bottles on it as when it’d started. He set the brandy down. “Keep me
company?”

Daphne
took a step backwards, and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I’ve had a long day, and
I’m tired – “

Glenn
strode across the room to her before she could escape. “I saw you. Looking at
me all night. You’re a minx, I can tell.”

Daphne
shook her head, but he was right beside her. Lightning struck and she could see
that he’d untucked his shirt, and thunder clapped, and the sound of rain
redoubled – she could barely hear him talking, she knew no one would hear her
scream.

“Richard’s
told me about you. The way your face lights up when you get fucked. He says
you’re the world’s best lay. And when someone like him, who’s put his cock into
every piece of pussy this side of Burma, says that to someone like me – what’s
he think that’s going to get him?” Glenn grabbed her arm as she tried to take
another step back.

“You
don’t want to do this, Glenn.”

“Oh
yes, I do. I’ve been thinking about it all night. I know exactly what I want.”
He pulled her to him as she struggled.

“No
– no no no –“ she thrashed, but he was as big as Richard was, and whereas
Richard had never hurt her until last night, Glenn seemed to be familiar with
giving others pain. His hands were tight on her arms and he dragged her across
the room towards the couch.

Daphne
punched at him and nothing landed, then he took both her wrists in one wide
hand and yanked them over her head, pinning her down with his greater weight
and she could feel the outline of his hard cock against her stomach. His other
hand pushed her dress up and started to pull her underwear down.

“Don’t!
No! Richard! Richard!!!!” she shouted – but the rain – lightning flashed again
and she saw the portrait of the Master looking down. Glenn shoved his hand
between them, trying to free himself to fuck her.

“Master!”
she shouted, in desperation, just as Glenn’s knee wedged between her thighs.

Heat
rushed over the both of them like a wave of the thunder booming outside, and
Glenn’s body flew across the room to strike the desk.

Daphne
panted on the couch for a moment, pulling herself together, sniffing back
tears. Thunder boomed overhead, rattling the windows, making the house shake
just like she’d been shaking.

“Oh
my God –“ Daphne sat up, pulling her skirt down, and looked over to the floor.
Glenn groaned and a dark pool of blood began leaking out from underneath his
head where he’d landed.

Daphne
screamed.

No
one heard her.

She
didn’t stop screaming until she got Richard up, and until he’d gone downstairs
to call 911.

“What’s
wrong?” Nalo appeared in the hallway, and Daphne screamed again – dressed in a
white slip, the woman looked like a ghost.

“Glenn
– he tried to rape me –“

Nalo
blanched even whiter, and then turned and ran.

“You
cannot tell them that –“ Richard said, cupping the phone receiver after having
given 911 their address.

“But
–“ Daphne protested, feeling fragile.

Richard
made a face, encouraging her to close her mouth – and behind him, Daphne could
see Sharon advancing, like an oncoming freight train,

“You
little slut –“ Sharon tried to slap her across her face, but Tyler reached out
over Daphne’s shoulder and stopped her.

“Why
would he try to sleep with her, when he could have me?” she asked him, still
trying to yank her hand down.

“He
didn’t try to sleep with anyone. I’m sure it was all an epic mistake. Wasn’t
it, pet?” Richard’s eyes begged her to deny the whole thing.

Daphne
looked up at Richard, eyes glaring. How dare he tell her that she hadn’t been
in danger – he wasn’t there! If the Master hadn’t saved her…who would have?

“Look,
he slipped and fell. That’s it.” Richard was fighting his inebriation, trying
to get everyone on the same page before authority arrived, setting the phone
down.

“Where
is he? I need to see him –“ Sharon yelled.

“He’s
in the library.” Daphne pointed to the room’s door on the other hall. Sharon
pulled her hand back, and started towards it. Daphne watched her go, until
Richard took hold of her shoulders and shook her.

“He
was just drunk, and you were helping him up to his room. That’s what happened.”
He shook her again, harder than she hoped he meant to. By now everyone else was
in the hall around them, and Sharon had started wailing at the sight of her
downed husband.

“That’s
what happened,” Daphne repeated dutifully back.

She
ran upstairs after that and sat in the middle of her bed like it was an island.
The door was open so she could hear the commotion burbling up from below. Was
Glenn…dead? She hadn’t wanted him to touch her, but did he really deserve that?
If the Master hadn’t saved her, it was clear what would have happened.

“Thank
you,” she said aloud, knowing the ghost would hear.

Heat
surrounded her in an instant. The arms of a man around her, burning hot. She
bit her lips and rocked back into him, still frightened, and he pulled her
tight. And then his hands began to wander.

“No
–“ she pushed at him, shoving him away, but arms came back. “Not you too –“ She
lurched out of the bed, holding herself. “Stop it. This isn’t how I want things
to be.”

Heat
remained around her, still for a moment of time – and then left her as though
she’d been dipped into an ice bath, and the bedroom door slammed, making her
jump.

Had
he closed it behind him? Or was he still in here, with her?

Footsteps
ran up the outside hall. “Pet?” Richard pushed his head in. “The medics want to
know if you need to go to the hospital.”

She
knew what he was asking. Was she hurt? Even if she couldn’t tell any of his
friends.

“I’m
fine.”
Everything’s broken and wrong, Glenn, me, you, this house, the
Master,
she thought, but swallowed the words without saying them.

Richard
came back upstairs soon after that.

“Is
he alive?” she asked, sitting with her knees under her chin, her arms laced
around her legs.

“So
far. But he’s injured, badly. I don’t think you could have hit him harder if
you’d had a frying pan.”

“I
didn’t hit him. He tripped and fell.”

“Were
you…doing anything?”

She
wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Are you honestly asking me that?”

“He’s
my oldest friend –“

“Who
said you’d slept with every woman this side of Burma.”

Richard
made a troubled face. “He shouldn’t have said that.”

“Is
it true?” Her voice was so small. Even though she already knew the answer, she
didn’t want him to lie to her.

He
put a hand to his forehead. His breath still stank like tonight’s wine and she
suspected he was still a little drunk, because he actually told her the truth.
“I may have not been the most faithful husband, pet. But -- I love you.” He
took her wrist in hers. “And I’ve sworn off all other women but you. You’re the
only one for me now. You’re going to be the only one for me for forever.”

She
turned towards him and searched his eyes. She’d seen the chat logs from him and
Becca just hours earlier. But he sounded so sincere right now – and despite
everything she still wanted to believe him. She needed someone on her side. And
maybe for once, he was telling the truth, and it wasn’t too late for them to
start over.

Tears
welled up and she started to sob.

“Oh
pet, pet –“ Richard said, taking Daphne into his arms. “I’m so sorry pet.
Glenn’s dead to me. Even if he doesn’t die tonight.”

He
held her just like the Master had and she sagged into him.

She
cried all the tears she’d been holding back since discovering his betrayal, and
when she was done she’d come up with a plan.

“We
have to leave here, Richard. I don’t want to live here anymore.”

“Don’t
let Glenn ruin things for you – you said he didn’t touch you, right?”

“We
have to pack up right now. We just need to go –“ Daphne nodded, stronger and
stronger, with the wisdom of her decision. “Let’s just take a few things, leave
the rest of it behind. I feel like this place is haunted, Richard. We just need
to start over. Just us. You and me.”

Richard’s
face was disparaging. “Pet, listen to yourself. You’re sounding crazy.”

“I
don’t care!” She struggled free of his arms. “I want to leave here. I want to
go now and never come back here again!”

Richard
caught hold of her arms, gently and folded them back down. “We have guests. And
it’s raining. We can’t go anywhere right now.” He was still a little drunk, but
she knew he was right.

“Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow.”

“As
soon as they leave.”

He
brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it like a prince. “The second they’re
gone.”

“Okay.”
She bit her lips and crawled under the sheets. “I want you to stay right here.”
She dragged him down to lay directly behind her in bed and he went with her.
“And don’t move the whole night.”

“Okay.”
He nodded into her shoulder agreeably, and soon he was asleep. Daphne willed
herself to sleep shortly thereafter.

“Come
on, pet.” Richard shook her gently in the morning. They were in the same
position they’d been in the prior night. Daphne’s entire right side felt
stiff.

She
blinked awake. “We’re still leaving, right?”

He
nodded. “After we get the guests out.”

“As
fast as possible.”

Daphne
went downstairs, holding Richard’s hand like he was her new lucky charm.

Arthur
had set a sideboard for breakfast, and Nalo was already picking at a plate when
they got there. She looked up as they entered. “Any word?”

Daphne
wiped a hand across her face. “None yet.”

“Sharon
didn’t call?”

“I
don’t think she’s the calling type,” Richard said, cutting her line of inquiry
off. “We’ll drop by the hospital on our way out today,” he said, squeezing
Daphne’s hand. She squeezed his hand back.

“James
and Roger already left – they’ve got to go to Paris.”

“Of
course,” Richard said, as though their departing without good-byes was
expected.

“We’d
check in, but we’ve got a flight to catch too,” Tyler announced. He was already
in a suit and looked halfway out the door. He picked up a plate and started
serving himself eggs.

Some
unspoken protocol required that they eat breakfast together, despite how
awkward it was. Arthur hovered attentively, trying to discern what’d happened
to the missing couple, and why things were so generally unpleasant. He looked
to Daphne with a question on his face, and she subtly shook her head.

“Well,
that was lovely. Thank you for your hospitality,” Nalo said in a perfunctory
fashion, once she and Tyler were done.

“Can
I bring your bags down, Sir?” Arthur asked.

“No
need – I brought them down already,” Tyler said, standing and replacing his
chair under the table. “Richard,” Tyler said, giving him a strong handshake. “Daphne,”
he said, with a nod.

“I
hope you both have a nice trip home,” Daphne said, as Tyler drew Nalo away, and
waved weakly as they headed to the door.

The
second she heard the front door close, she dragged Richard upstairs. “Let’s
go.”

“Where
to?”

“I
don’t care.” Daphne yanked down half of her closet and shoved it into a bag.
Enough clothing for at least two weeks, and she knew she could always buy more.

“Pack
for me, too?” Richard said.

“Why?”
She didn’t want him to leave her sight – and she didn’t want to be alone.

“I’ve
got to get some files off the computer. I can work almost anywhere, but I am
going to have to work.” He reached forward and stroked her chin. “Someone has
to bankroll our escape.”

They’d
leave faster if they could split up -- but she was scared to be alone with the
Master. “Hurry?”

“For
you? Of course.”

She
reached into Richard’s closet next, throwing heaps of his clothing into a
moving box. Three suits, matching ties, shirts, socks – they’d look like hobos
on the road in their expensive car, and she didn’t care.

The
sound of rain got worse outside, matching her mood more with each second that
passed. She ran down to the entry hall with her own bag, and then returned to
pick up Richard’s box. Daphne wondered what responsibility she had to say
good-bye to the Master. She didn’t want to be with him again, she wanted things
with Richard to work out, but he had rescued her last night --

She
opened up her mouth to speak, and then thought better of it. She grabbed
Richard’s box and pulled the bedroom door shut behind herself.

Richard
met her in the entry way with a briefcase.

“Going
somewhere?” Arthur asked, looking between them, genuinely confused.

“On
a trip,” Richard said, with a grin, as though this were just another adventure.

Arhtur’s
eyebrows rose. “Might I inquire how long you two will be gone?”

“As
long as it takes.”

“For…what?
If I may ask?”

“You
may – but I don’t rightly know. But my wife wants to leave, and leave we shall.
We’ll let you know when we return.” Richard took her hand in his and squeezed
it again.

“If
that’s the case, may I request permission to leave for Mrs. Dudley and myself,
before the weather gets worse?”

“Of
course,” Richard said grandly. Arthur cast one last worried look at her, but
Daphne smiled, and he nodded back, more settled.

She
turned to face the door, Richard’s hand still in hers. This was it. They were
leaving. So close to being free of this place and starting over.

Daphne
reached forward and opened up the front door and found a drenched woman standing
outside, about to press the doorbell.