Page 3 of Unbinding the Demon
“I’m sorry. Who are you again?” I asked, feeling surprised by this guy’s intrepid behavior, but also intimidated by how smolderingly sexy he was.
He didn’t answer. Instead, he slowly lowered my paper back down and sat there, still as a statue, staring at me for an awkward moment. He abruptly threw the paper over his shoulder and snatched another one from the table with the suddenness of a snake striking its prey. He then searched that one with great urgency, too.
“Hey! Just what the fuck do you think you’re doing!?” I lunged forward and tried to retrieve my paper from his thieving clutches.
He plopped his giant boot against the edge of the table and leaned his chair back so that the paper remained completely out of my reach. The angle gave me a good view of his long legs leading up to the apex of his crotch—it seemed intentional. His eyes lit up as if he’d finally found whatever it was he was searching for. “Anthropodermic bibliopegy, the art of binding books using human skin? Well now, that’s certainly an interesting topic.” He let out a low chuckle and seductively smirked, igniting a warmth that swam between my legs.
“Okay! Give that back, Bucko!” I snapped, the last of my shy demeanor flying right out the damn window. He laughed in a lighthearted manner while offering me the paper, which I snatched from his hand. “If you must know, it’s for an assignment about unusual literary practices,” I whispered in frustration. It was quite apparent that this guy was an oddball, but I still didn’t want him thinking that I was some sort of skin book psychopath.
In all truth, my motivation for writing on the topic came from my late aunt’s strange obsession with a particularly creepy occult book. One that so happened to be bound in human skin. It was lost after her death, but I still remembered its rather basic appearance and the undeniably disturbing vibe I always felt from it. However, I wasn’t about to share any of that with this sexy paper thief.
I couldn’t quite read the look on his face. Mischief? Excitement? Cunning and evil? Whatever it was, it looked like he wanted something from me, and it was unsettling. With a wicked grin twisting across his downright sinful lips, he leaned over, inching his face closer to mine. It was as if he were planning to tell me some deep, dark secret. A few strands of his silky hair fell forward, coiling on the smooth wooden surface. The closer he got, the wider my eyes grew as his imposing frame loomed over me.
“Between you and me, I’ve heard that there’s a human-bound book hidden somewhere on campus. It might be fun to go hunt it down together sometime. A date, perhaps?” He tapped his chin as if he were thinking.
“Oh, you know what? I'm actually not too big on dating, sorry. But thanks for the offer.” My hands trembled slightly as I rushed to gather my things. I was flattered, but this whole interaction was bizarre, and this guy didn't know the first thing about boundaries. Plus, I had more important things to do than go on a scavenger hunt for some obscure skin book with a complete stranger. Good looks be damned.
He noticed my eager attempt at packing up and frowned. “You’re leaving so soon?” He seemed genuinely disappointed, oddly enough.
“Yeah, I need to get home. I have hungry cats to feed and stuff...” I trailed off, not wanting to seem rude, and pulled my bag over my shoulder. “Maybe I’ll see you around, though.”
“Oh, I hope so, Buttercup.” He leaned back in his chair with another mischievous grin and a flirtatious wink.
Buttercup?
I spared him a quick side glance with a confused expression. “Well, goodbye then,” I said before quickly walking out of there, ignoring the sudden flood in my panties...What a weirdo.
2. Moonbeams and Dreams
Bright lunar rays gleamed down upon the stone walkway leading to the small off-campus rental home. My black ankle boots crunched over a few loose pebbles as I strolled along, admiring the way the nearly full moon painted the blue antiquated house in its silvery glow. Tiny crickets happily chirped in the grass while the lofty trees rustled in the warm, sweet-smelling breeze. The place was somewhat secluded, with plenty of deep woods on the eastern side of the yard. A small garden was tucked away in the spot where the sun reached the longest. It was full of overripe veggies just begging to be harvested.
The pale hydrangeas that lined the front porch seemed to glow in the luminous light while I walked past them and up the creaky wooden steps. I stopped before going inside to admire the beauty of the celestial night sky. My hands wrapped around the weathered wooden railing as I gazed up. The way the moonbeams danced upon the silvery treetops which swayed in the breeze was downright captivating. Then, as if pulled by an unseen force, my gaze drifted below the quivering leaves and to the dark shadows that hid beneath them.
A peculiar feeling of dread slithered around my senses. It was as if something sinister was lingering out there, hidden within the darkness. Watching me with nefarious eyes. The warm breeze turned chilling as it caressed my face, sending an unsettling shiver up my spine. Not wanting to stay out any longer, I turned around and hurried inside.
The strange, spooky feeling I had felt on the porch vanished because of the drastic change in atmosphere. The interior of the house was old but well-maintained. Most of the mismatched furnishings were modern in design. Floor lamps lit up the living room with a warm yellow glow. Meanwhile, the sound of classical piano music softly streamed from the ajar bathroom door just down the hallway.
“You look like you’ve just seen a ghost,” my roommate and good friend William teased in amusement. He was sitting on the floor with his back against our big, comfy blue couch. His boyfriend, Oliver, sat right behind him. His legs were on either side of William’s torso as he styled William’s wavy blonde hair.
“Yeah, I’ll bet I do! I could have sworn something was watching me out there just now.” I shucked my bag from my shoulder, letting it land on the floor like a slob; then I rummaged around the side pocket for my little baggy of mixed nuts. “It really freaked me out, but it was probably just my imagination.” A small chuckle fell from my lips as I plopped myself down sideways on the red spinny recliner chair, letting my legs dangle over the armrest.
Oliver plucked a bobby pin from between his lips and used it to secure the cute messy bun he’d twisted onto the very top of William’s head. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’ve heard the coyotes around here are getting bolder around people.” His electric blue eyes pinned me with a scrutinizing stare. “You didn’t walk home alone again, did you?”
A guilty smile crept its way onto my face as I opened my snack. “I didn’t want to bug you guys.” I kicked off my boots, letting them clomp onto the funky floral throw rug.
“Gwendolyn,”Oliver put a hand on his hip and waved a hairbrush at me, his features contorted in frustration. “You know I’d much rather give you a ride than let you walk home alone after dark. There could have been coyotes out there, goddammit!”
“Speaking of riding with us,” William grinned while pulling a dilapidated joint out of his pocket and placed it behind his ear. I was surprised the poor crumpled thing was still holding together, and grateful that he was changing the subject before I got an entire safety lecture from Oliver. “We’re going to disco night at that new club, Hell’s Hornbeam. You should come! Plus, who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone to get your‘Disco Inferno’on with,” he suggestively growled and then burst into laughter.
I raked my gaze over his outfit while munching on a few of the nuts, finding that he certainly looked ready for a disco night at the club. His tall, slender frame was adorned in a shimmery, light blue button-up top that matched his eyes. He had paired it with flared white pants, silvery boots, and enough glittery eye shadow to effectively signal for help if he were ever stranded on a deserted island.
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.” I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Maybe some other time, though?” I secretly didn’t want to go anytime, ever. They were always pestering me to go clubbing with them, but I hated clubs. I also wondered just how great this club could actually be, considering we were in the middle of bumfuck-nowhere Vermont.
“Girl, don’t be such an antisocial sasquatch! It would be good for you to go!” Lacey, my other roommate and best friend, chimed in. She popped her head out of the bathroom doorway to glare at me. “You’ve been studying way too hard lately, and the year has only just begun.” She was in the middle of applying her makeup, even though she didn’t need it. She was drop-dead gorgeous with or without the stuff. The elegant lavender dress she had on looked amazing against her chestnut skin, and her luscious black curls were clipped up in a half ponytail.
“Really, you guys, I’ve had a long day. All I want to do is eat a snack, curl up, and go to sleep. I’m sorry, but I’m being a boring antisocial sasquatch tonight,” I said while reaching down to pick up Pepper Paws, my sweet black and gray tabby cat. He let out a quiet meow as I snuggled his purry little body to my chest.
Lacey frowned as her dravite eyes took in the silent plea on my face. “Well, okay, but don’t you dare even consider skipping Amelia’s party tomorrow! There’s no way I’m letting you get out of that. You need to have some fun at some point!” She smiled warmly with a laugh.
