Page 4 of Tall, Dark & Horny

“Which way is that?”

She jerked her thumb to the right. “Make a left at the tree that’s split down the middle because it was struck by lightning, then keep going straight through the woods.”

Woods. At night. In the rain.

I resisted the urge to groan. “I don’t suppose the road is marked? Or well lit?”

“Not really.” She went back to whatever was on her phone without another word.

Unless I wanted to sit around here for who knew how long, I didn’t have much choice. With the clock ticking down on my hotel reservation, I decided to head out in the direction she’d pointed out and hope for the best. It was a decision I deeply regretted an hour and a half later.

I’d been pretty certain that I turned at the tree the girl had described, but it took much longer than expected to see anything remotely like a town. Trees crowded the road like they were trying to swallow the asphalt. Just as I debated the odds of being able to safely make a U-turn, the rain eased into mist, heavy and low to the ground. Then the road curved, and a building rose out of the mist like something from a horror movie.

Ten stories tall and built from stone, its windows flickered with soft golden light. Gargoyle-like statues flanked the entrance, and the driveway circled a massive fountain, glistening in the rain.

As I pulled around and parked as far off to the side as I could get, my heart thudded against my ribs. Something about the place pulled at me, but I also felt the sudden urge to flee. Unfortunately, I couldn’t turn around now. I was about ten hours past my tolerance for mishaps, I had nowhere else to go, and my gas tank wouldn’t get me far even if I did.

After taking a deep breath and slowly exhaling, I turned off the engine and exited the car. I thought about grabbing my luggage from the trunk but ultimately decided that was beyond presumptuous. So I headed inside with only my purse.

The moment I stepped through the doors, warmth enveloped me. The lobby was grand but not ostentatious. Dark wood floors. A chandelier of iron and glass was suspended high above. A massive bar took up the left wall, and a wide staircase curved upward to the next level.

The woman behind the reception desk greeted me. “Good evening, welcome to The Abyss. I’m Lyra, how can I help you?”

I hesitated. “Hi. I, uh...I don’t have a reservation.”

“No problem.” Her gaze darted over my shoulder briefly before returning to me, but her smile didn’t falter. “We always keep a few rooms available. Would you like to check in?”

I nodded. “Yes, please. Just for tonight.”

She slid a leather-bound book toward me, along with an old-fashioned pen. “Name?”

“Calliope Ash.”

As I signed, I glanced toward the bar to see what had momentarily captured her attention. When I spotted the man standing at the end of the bar, I understood her distraction. With his Grecian nose, chiseled cheekbones, strong jawline, and a dimple in his chin, I assumed that most women noticed him. Especially since his dark hair only made his blue eyes seem brighter. His black dress shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, with the sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing strong forearms. His matching slacks did nothing to hide how thick his thighs were. He was tall, dark, and gorgeous personified.

Our eyes met, and something jolted through me. It almost felt as though someone had reached into my chest and pressed directly against my heart. I looked away, cheeks burning.

Lyra carried on as though nothing unusual had happened. “Would you like a drink before heading up to your room?”

“Actually...yes.”

My reply surprised me since that hadn’t been what I’d planned to say. The last thing I needed right now was a drink. Not when I was exhausted enough from my day to not be acting like myself. But I felt a magnetic pull toward the bar. And him.

She handed over a brass skeleton key on a midnight-blue velvet ribbon. It was beautiful and old-fashioned, entirely out of sync with the rest of the ultramodern technology on the desk. “Your room is on the tenth floor. The elevator will open for you when you wave the key against the symbol beside it.”

I was too tired to question how much the room would cost. Whatever the price, it was worth being dry and warm for the night. “Thank you.”

“Do you have any luggage you’d like brought up?” Lyra continued. “I can have one of our staff retrieve your bags from your vehicle and valet park it.”

“Oh.” I blinked at the offer. “That would be great. Um…there’s just one suitcase and my matching carry-on in the trunk. My car’s the little rental parked on the circle out front.”

She inclined her head and stretched her hand out to take the key from me. “I’ll make sure it’s taken care of.”

I nodded, feeling a little dazed. “Thanks. This place is not what I expected when I first stumbled across it.”

Lyra smiled, amusement gleaming from her eyes. “The Abyss rarely is.”

The hotel's name wasn’t exactly welcoming, but I was in no position to judge.

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