Beyond The Veil (A Paranormal Romance)

Chapter 11

The night was fresh and clear, thousands of bright stars were twinkling in the deep blue of the sky. The moon was full, flooding the quiet streets with cool, pale light. Raphael walked past the mostly deserted stores alongside the road and stopped in front of the biggest one. Charlie's Liquor and Smokes, it read in huge bold red letters above the glass door. He pondered for a while, debating whether to buy some vodka so he could drown his incredibly bad mood at home, without anyone to bug him. He decided that this was exactly what he needed now and entered.

The door chimes rang as he walked in and headed straight to the aisle in the back. He grabbed a bottle without even checking for the brand and made his way to the counter. He had to go past the whiskey and wine sections to get to the check out on the other end of the store.

Glancing into one of the aisles as he walked by, he noticed another customer. He looked again and realized that he knew this person. Delicate, slim but well proportioned, big brown eyes focused on the label of a scotch bottle, long velvet lashes casting shadows on prettily flushed cheeks, long black hair that fell in large waves over petite shoulders.

"Emily," he mumbled, frozen to the ground.

Startled, she looked up to him. "Professor Cole."

"What are you doing here?" He slowly approached her.

"Just getting a drink." Her eyes went back to read the label of the bottle she was holding in her hand.

"For your dad, I assume." He didn't need her to confirm this, so he went on. "How is your arm?" He pointed at the cast.

"It's okay, hurts a little still but it will be fine."

"You haven't been in class."

"I couldn't." Her voice was trembling. Was it fear, sadness? And why couldn't she come to class?

"Is he not letting you?"

Emily lifted her head back up to look him straight in the eye. "You were right."

Confused, he stared back. "I was?"

"About what you said in the hospital. I should have listened."

He took another step towards her. "What did he do?"

Instead of answering, she gazed at him with a shy, desperate look. "I'm scared."

Without thinking, Raphael placed his bottle carelessly on a shelf, took the scotch out of her shaky hand, put it next to the vodka, and folded his fingers gently around hers. They were so cold it made him shiver.

"Come," he said quietly, and without hesitation or protest she followed him out into the night.