Grave Danger by K.E. Rodgers Page A

murder.
    Clarissa drew the curtains closed, turning away from
the window, trying to block out the image of a living being
consumed by an animal of the night. Instead she took a close look
at her rooms. Her space consisted of a small sitting room which she
was now standing in. A connecting French door, that was now set
open, led into a moderately sized bedroom. The entire apartment was
outfitted in reproduction antiques, though some of the pieces were
likely authentic. The style of the décor was elegant and stately,
dating to a time in American history that enjoyed luxury, turn of
the twentieth century or slightly earlier.
    “ Is there anything I can get for you?” Maddy
questioned as Clarissa moved about the sitting room, touching
objects as she passed: a crystal vase of flowers, a ceramic bowel
and pitcher, a lace doily that lay on a circular end table. She
touched these things because she wanted to see that she
could.
    “ No, thank you though.” Clarissa responded
quietly, not looking at the woman, still lost in her own thoughts.
She took a seat on an upholstered arm chair, folding her pale hands
on her lap. She looked down at her hands, running her fingers along
her jeans. “I’m a little tired it’s true, but you don’t need to
fuss over me. I can take care of myself.”
    Maddy nodded her head in understanding. “Okay,” she
said. “If you need anything, remember I’m in the room across the
hall from yours.” She backed out of the room, taking hold of the
brass doorknob. “Good night, Clarissa. I’ll see you in the
morning.” With that said, she pulled the door closed, leaving
Clarissa alone with her thoughts.
     
    Chapter 4-
     
    “ Did you rest all right last night, Clarissa?
Mrs. Connors told me over the phone that you kept your lights on
all night.” Eleanor had phoned the house earlier that morning for a
quick chat with Maddy and to see how her newest guest was
doing.
    Maddy had said that Clarissa seemed a little out of
touch, distant and quiet. But that was to be expected. She said she
thought Clarissa was a nice young woman who would fit in well with
the rest of the community. Eleanor had agreed with that and
informed the older woman that she would be over to pick Clarissa up
so she could take her around town and have some girl time before
Richard would join them.
    Clarissa had been sitting quietly in the front
parlor while Mrs. Connors was doing a bit of light cleaning before
her living guests arrived. On Fridays her ladies group came over to
socialize and most importantly to gossip about town affairs. The
group was a cross between the Red Hat Ladies club and the occult.
They didn’t sacrifice any animals or pray to any mythological
deities. They were just a couple of grown women who happened to
have close ties with the supernatural world.
    Eleanor had noticed how drawn into herself Clarissa
was, a total contrast from the woman she had seen leave with Henry
last night. She had seemed so happy then and now she appeared
extremely reserved.
    “ The truth is I’m just trying to understand
how I fit into all of this; my role in this world. And when Henry
was taking me home last night he told me about theses flesh-eaters
that the community allows to have the city during the night, using
it as their hunting grounds. I guess Henry freaked me out a
little.”
    “ Henry doesn’t always know how to explain
things the right way.” Eleanor took Clarissa’s hand into the crook
of her arm, patting it in comfort. “I’m sorry if he scared you.
That was not his intention. He’s a very protective man, very rare
in these days. It’s just that you are so inexperienced in this
world, he wanted you to be safe.”
    “ Henry said I can’t go out at night, at least
not on my own. So if I want to do anything after dark I have to be
chaperoned like a little kid. He explained that these flesh-eaters
are permitted free reign over the city and if they saw me I could
get hurt, killed even.”
    They were shopping