Cryptids - Chapter Four Revised

         Chapter Four



         Kyleigh stepped out of the bathroom with her hair in a towel, wearing her white terry robe and thinking of nothing but sleep. When she got to the couch however it was occupied already by a very sexy Englishman. The only thing he seemed to have grabbed from his room was a pillow which he had covering his face from the sunlight that poured into the windows. He lay there clad in only the jeans he had thrown on before rushing to her room earlier. His thick muscled chest and lean stomach were gently rising with each breath he took as he slept; completely unaware of the attention Kyleigh’s eyes gave him. She wouldn’t wake him to argue over sleeping arrangements. It was bad enough she had already disturbed his sleep once. Sometimes she wished things were simpler, but she couldn’t just jump into a relationship. No matter how attractive this man in particular was. She had seen enough of her friends get burned doing just that. Kyleigh walked to her bag and grabbed her hairbrush so she could brush out her long hair before she went to sleep. As she was getting it she noticed the messages the clerk had given her earlier and realized she had been so preoccupied she hadn’t read them yet. The first message was from her boss, Jamieson. He wanted her to call or come by his room to let him know how Dean was and report what had happened. She could call him when she woke up. The second message was strange. She had no idea who it was from. It just said:

Meet me in the Silhouette Bar at 11:00.

She knew one thing, she wasn’t going alone. It looked like she was going to have to ask Hugh for one more favor.

         She walked into the bedroom and placed the notes on the bedside table and used the phone there to call once again down to the desk clerk for a wakeup call. Kyleigh quickly brushed her hair and curled into the blankets that still held the smell of Hugh’s subtle cologne.



         The phone ringing woke her at 9:30 that night. It was the desk clerk with her wake up call. “Alright, thank you.” And she hung the phone up. As she got out of the bed she heard the shower start up. “Guess I’ll have to wait to use the bathroom.” Kyleigh quickly got dressed, not knowing how long Hugh would be in the shower. She went to her knap sack and got the two books Khepera had given her and decided she had better start there. The more she knew the better off she’d be. Everything that had happen in the last week seemed surreal to her.

         When Hugh stepped out of the bathroom it was to find Kyleigh sitting in the center of the bed surrounded by papers and the two open books. He stood there watching her with a grin on his face. It was strange how things worked out. She got the pencil she had placed behind her ear to write something on the note pad in front of her. Her laptop lay open at the end of the bed, for the moment forgotten.

         “You need some help?” ,he asked startling her back to the real world.

         “Yeah, hold on.”, she said before running to the bathroom. A few minutes later she was back explaining to him all about her meeting Khepera and what the shift-changer had said.

         “That’s pretty incredible. Do you believe her? I mean me and Jamieson went down to the lab after the escape and saw the tape, but she’s saying you are some type of shape-shifter too.”, Hugh said looking at her seriously.

         “I don’t really know what to believe. I mean sun gods and shape-shifters; it sounds like something out of a movie. And my parents…they died in a boating accident when I was ten. And this … woman is saying that my father is still alive and that my mother was murdered. It doesn’t make sense. She gave me this journal that is supposed to be my mother’s, but I don’t know.” She sighed and looked into Hugh’s eyes. “I guess I’m unloading on you. Sorry. I just need someone’s advice.”  Her frustration was beginning to show itself as her eyes welled up with tears that she held back.

         Hugh came to sit closer to her placing his hand on her back and rubbing small circles. “I can see this is confusing, but we’ll figure it out. Just look at one thing at a time and try not to get overwhelmed.”

          She pulled away from him and said, “That reminds me, I had this message waiting for me when I got back this morning.” He read it then looked at her with humor in his eyes. “Rather cryptic isn’t it? No idea who it’s from?”

         “Not a clue. I know I’ve already asked quite a lot from you, but do you think you could back me up?”

         “Sure. Give me a few minutes and I’ll be ready to go. You kind of wait until the last minute to ask a guy out don’t you?” he said with a grin.

         Kyleigh threw a pillow at him. “Just get dressed and ready to go in the sitting room so I can get dressed in here. It’s ten already. So we need to make it quick. I don’t even know where this Silhouette Bar is.”

         “Don’t worry about that, I found it our first night back.”, he grinned at her and grabbed his stuff leaving the room and shutting the door behind him.

         After Hugh left the room Kyleigh wondered at his change in attitude. He was being a lot more carefree in temperament around her. She hoped he wasn’t taking charge of the situation because he didn’t believe her. She hurried and got dressed shaking off her doubts. She made sure she got her Ruger before leaving the bedroom, concealing it in the back of her pants after double checking the safety. It was time to find out who her mystery date was.

         They arrived at the Silhouette Bar a few minutes after eleven o’clock and Kyleigh grabbed Hugh’s arm before he could open the door to go in. “Maybe I was being a little paranoid when I asked you to come. You can take the car back and I’ll just grab a taxi back. I’ll be fine on my own.”

         Hugh grinned then replied, “Kyleigh, I could use a drink any ways, so don’t worry about it.” He shook her hand off his arm and walked into the bar before she could stop him again. The room was smoky from its many occupants and roared with the rock music that was pouring out of the juke box. The bar was like many others Hugh had been in. A home for certain people. The type of people who are looking for a night of fun with someone who gradually gets better looking with each drink.  He let his eyes peruse the room looking for anybody that stood out. No one really stood out. He heard the door shut as Kyleigh followed him inside. She came to an abrupt stop at his side. He turned to look at her and saw an excited smile on her face.

         Kyleigh saw, sitting at the bar, the person who must have sent the note. “Erica!” The young woman sitting at the bar swiveled around to see who had called out her name. Kyleigh ran to the woman and pulled her into an embrace. “What in the hell are you doin’ here? When did you arrive? Why didn’t you let me know you were comin’?”

         “Damn, Ky. You gonna give me a chance to answer a question before you ask another? I got here this morning. We’ll talk about the why later.”  Erica looked away from Kyleigh to appraise Hugh with her eyes. Then turned back to Kyleigh, “You gonna introduce me to your boyfriend?”

         Kyleigh rolled her eyes then stepped away from Erica to say, “This is my partner Hugh Charlton.  Hugh, this is my cousin Erica Rydell.”

         Hugh shook Erica’s hand, then leaned close to whisper in Kyleigh’s ear, “So now we’re partners again, are we?” He looked back at Erica and said, “It’s nice to meet a family member of Kyleigh’s.  She’s pretty closed mouthed about her personal life.”

         Erica laughed, “That’s Kyleigh. So you’re the partner I’ve heard so much about. Can I buy you a drink? If you have to put up with her temper you deserve one.”

“How about I buy you ladies a drink, once we find us a table?” Hugh asked with his easy-going grin in place.

Erica grinned back at him then replied, “That sounds like a plan to me.”

         Hugh held Erica’s chair for her as she sat down. It had taken them a few moments to find an open table; the Silhouette Bar was full tonight. The jukebox roared out one rock song after the other into the crowded room. A few couples stood out on the dance floor sloppily gyrating to the rhythm. Kyleigh shook her head at her two companions as they worked on getting better acquainted.  Erica was the polar opposite of Kyleigh; she was giddy and ate up a man fawning over her. While Kyleigh was fighting to have men look at her as an equal. As soon as the waitress appeared at their table Erica asked for a Tequila Sunrise, she still hadn’t gotten over her excitement of being able to legally drink, having just turned twenty-one six months ago. Hugh ordered a Corona and Kyleigh ordered a Coke. Erica shook her head at Kyleigh as the waitress took down their order. “You never did know how to have a good time, Kyleigh. Why don’t you have a real drink? It’s been so long since we were able to hang out. You might be only four years older than me but you act like it’s ten.”

         “I do not. It’s just I have a lot of shit going on and drinking doesn’t sound smart. You know what I’ll have a Corona, too. Better?”, she said looking at her cousin. “Maybe it will take the edge off.” Kyleigh responded as she fiddled with her napkin, folding it into little pieces and then unfolding it to start again. After the waitress left them she said, “You never said what you were doing here.”

         Erica smiled at Kyleigh and said, “It’ll keep.” , before turning to Hugh. “So what’s it like having to work with my grouchy cuz. Is she as bad at work as she is at home? She never did know how to relax.”

         Hugh glanced across the table to look at Kyleigh before answering, “I love working with Kyleigh. She’s tough as nails, but she’s the best at what she does. And I enjoy her company, as much as she allows me.” He locked his eyes to hers as he answered Erica. It was an intense look that told Kyleigh that even sitting her with her cousin, even after their uncomfortable conversation when they had first arrived… he still wanted her. Moments of silence sat unbroken as they stared into each other’s eyes.

         Erica broke the silence, demanding Hugh’s attention, “I love this song. Would you like to dance, Hugh?” she cracked a smile for Kyleigh as she stood and held her hand out to Hugh.

         Kyleigh sat back in her seat and watched them enter the dance floor. She laughed moments later when Hugh attempted to put a little space between his and Erica’s bodies on the dance floor. I guess he’s just attracted to attitude. Kyleigh thought to herself. She sat and watched them for a few more minutes when she felt someone staring at her. Not just staring, but like they were trying to burrow holes into the back of her head with their eyes. She turned slowly in her chair trying to find the culprit, and came practically face-to-face with the largest man she had ever seen. He had been standing almost directly behind her. He must have been at least 6’5” and was all muscle, like body builder muscle. He looked Mexican or something near that flavor and he was all dark: dark eyes- nearly black, black hair, and completely dressed in black. If he had been staring down anybody but her she would have thought that he was looking for a bar brawl. She was not imposing looking enough for that, she sat here relaxed and drinking a beer. “Do I know you, buddy? Something I can help you with?” She looked at him inquiringly. He could look as scary as he wanted to, she had her Ruger on her and that’s all she needed to feel safe. She might not be the meanest stuff in the room, but she could be a tough bitch when she needed to be.

         He continued to stare at her making no attempt to assuage her curiosity.  He leaned slightly closer to her not even attempting to hide the fact that he was sniffing her. His nostrils flared as he took a big whiff of her scent then leaned back and closed his eyes, as if he savored the smell. As far as Kyleigh was concerned the guy was obviously crazy.

         “Glad you’re enjoying yourself. Now do you mind telling me what it is you want?” Her body had begun to tense as he leaned toward her. Her hand itched to palm her gun. She had about as much of crazy as she could take.

         At her words, his eyes flew back open. They seemed to have an inner-glow to them now as his eyes narrowed on to her face. With a deep gravelly voice he said, “Kyleigh McTierney, I’ve been looking for you.” He reached out for the seat across from her and pulled it around the table to straddle it close beside her. With each move he made, the cords of muscle throughout his body became all the more obvious.  He seemed to be composed of nothing but muscle and radiated energy and danger. Her entire body stiffened as he sat close enough to her that his shoulder gently brushed against hers as he settled into his seat. In a low voice, as though he didn’t wish to be overheard, he said “We have much we need to discuss. Don’t you think?”

         Kyleigh stared into his dark eyes and tried to stay calm as a shiver of energy crept across her skin were they had touched. “Sorry, to burst your bubble, but I have no idea who you are. And what exactly do we have to discuss?”

His eyes narrowed in suspicion at her words. As close as they were, he leaned still closer as if he were about to kiss her. With a speed she didn’t know she possessed she had her gun pressed into his ribs. It was out of view of the crowd in the bar with their bodies pressed so closely together, but he knew it was there. He paused for the briefest of moments then shoved his body purposely against the gun, digging it further into his flesh. Kyleigh wasn’t ready to shoot him. He hadn’t offered her violence yet and she was sure to get locked up for shooting him for no more than behaving strangely and smelling her. He plastered himself to her and placed his face in the crook of her neck. He sniffed along her neck allowing his face to rub against her skin. Goosebumps danced across her skin and she felt a burn deep inside her body that she had never felt before. After re-holstering her gun, she placed her palms against his chest and pushed him away from her jumping from her seat. Before she had a chance to say a word to him Erica and Hugh were at her side, Hugh pulling her to stand behind him.

He advanced until he stood in front of the stranger still seated at the table. An animalistic growl like that of a wild cat emerged from his lips. Hugh stood with his feet braced as if prepared to attack. “Leave. You have no business here.”



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