Stolen Hearts

Chapter One



         The sky was a charcoal gray. Her footfalls were lazy against the cracked concrete sidewalk lamenting their destination. The sun remained tucked away from sight having not pierced the horizon yet with its golden glow. Keys jangled against the morning quiet as they were brought out of a worn jean pocket. Pale hands reached for the brass knob, jamming the keys into the keyhole.

         The forest green door with clipping paint swung open, sounding the pleasant chime of a bell. A girl not quite a woman flipped the 'closed' sign to 'open' and shuffled into the dark shop, flicking the lights on as she passed into the back room.

         The room sparked with illumination as the overhead fluorescent lights began to buzz with life. Four green vinyl booths were pushed up against the two gaping windows, leaving four wooden tables to fill the gap to the long dark walnut counter that ran the length of the small shop. Its floor was made up of rustic colored tiles for easy clean up. Pastries made sometime yesterday were displayed in the glass case to the left of the cash register. Across the back counter, the Bunn coffee maker was situated along side the espresso machine, blenders, and tea brewer for customers that didn't like coffee.

         Coming out from the back room, the girl tied her green apron around her waist. Standing on the shorter side at only about five foot four, she didn't have the appeal of legs that went on forever that a lot of men found attractive. Her build was on the slimmer side but not without curves as her friend Jaclyn had told her on more than one occasion. Long dark brown hair flowed in waves down her shoulders framing her oval shaped face lovingly. Soft features brought out her light gray eyes that were sparkled with bits of pale blue. On her cheeks a light dusting of freckles remained from when she was a child. She wasn't beautiful per say, more akin to cute than attractive. Her oversized knitted dark purple sweater hung off her as did her black dress pants. Pulling her hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of her face for work, Emory put on her best professional smile and turned toward the front as she heard the telltale chime of the bell signaling there was a customer.

         "Hello, how can I help you this morning?" She asked politely as per routine.

         "Large coffee, black, and a poppy seed bagel," He said. And thus her day began.

* * *

         Having neared the end of the day at Coffee Lovers, Emory leaned on counter having lost her energy from this morning, replaced with a deep boredom and hatred for her job at this sad little coffee shop. At this late hour, the little shop was almost deserted of customers except for a few that were sprinkled throughout the tables and booths.

         "Why are we even open this late?" Emory asked her manager, who currently was making up an ice tea for a woman. "No one drinks coffee this late anyway and if they do they need some serious help." She commented dryly, blowing out an irritated breath.

         "Because we have a duty to those caffeine addicts everywhere to supply them with endless amounts of coffee at whatever time they desire!" Her manager, Jaclyn, answered grandly, handing over the ice tea and ringing her up in the register. Emory narrowed her eyes on her. She was a beautiful woman at her prime of twenty-five. Jaclyn had long gorgeous cornflower blonde hair that surprisingly wasn't dyed and with a fit build that came with its own set of curves that made men swoon at the very sight of her. With long legs, she stood at five foot eight just tall enough to get attention but not enough make men feel inadequate about their own heights. It didn't help though that with her four inch heels that she wore on a regular basis she was taller than most men. Her heart shaped face only added to her beauty as did her big deep chocolate eyes that could scream poor and defenseless one moment and completely flip to venomness the next. Her sun kissed skin and her pouty lips, she swore she never used collagen to fill, only cemented the look. "More importantly though," she said pointing a manicured finger at her, "because I said so." Jaclyn said, laughing a bit.

         "And the award for greatest boss ever goes to..." Emory began sarcastically, leaning back against the counter. Jaclyn waved her a dismissive hand well used to her behavior after knowing her such a long time. It had been four years since Emory had begun working here, fresh out of high school. Over those years, the two had become close friends. It had been difficult at first to deal with Jaclyn's over dramatics and bossiness when it came to her love life, but Emory had learned to live with it.

The bell chimed once more signaling another customer had wandered in from the cool night autumn air. Looking up on reflex, Emory immediately sighed and groaned inwardly. It had to be him.

         Out of everyone else in Chicago, hell out of everyone else in the entire world, it had to be this guy. Tall at six foot and tan, he stood lean and if Emory had to admit it, which she never would, gorgeous. Sandy hair poked out in all different directions coming to end over his eyebrows in long strands. High cheekbones and an oval face dared, unflinchingly, any woman not to call him handsome. His bright curious green eyes drew those around him in like moths to light and his big open smile entreated conversation. She had first set eyes on him about a month ago when he had started coming to the coffee shop. Ever since, he had stopped by everyday with his guitar in its soft black cloth case strapped to his back. His name was Grayson. She groaned again, this time out loud. As soon as he spotted her, that alluring smile upturned his lips and she grimaced.

         "Lover boy is back," Jaclyn said in a sing-song voice as she danced over her to wipe down the counter. Emory shot her a dark glare. Jaclyn thought it was hilarious that this man kept coming back to the shop just to ask her out to a movie, or dinner, or coffee, or drinks, or dancing, or anything that popped into his mind only to be shot down every time.

         "Jaclyn," He acknowledged.

         "Mhm..." She said looking him over before she moved to the back room, bumping into Emory purposefully as she went. She threw a wink over her shoulder when Emory shot her a glare.

         "Emy," Grayson said with a grin. Emory rolled her eyes and stepped up to the register to confront him.

         "Emory," She corrected him. The smile didn't leave his face.

         "It's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl." He said smoothly as if he had said this to a dozen other girls. The thought didn't seem to dampen the light brush of pink that surfaced on her cheeks from the complement. He'd do that when she corrected her name for him from his shortened version. They didn't know each other well enough for nicknames.

         "Is there something I can get for you?" She said flatly, all her professional demeanor gone now.

         "Yes, have a drink with me. Just one drink and you'll realize how charming I am."

         "Anything else I can get you sir?" She asked with a sharpness that resembled cut glass. Knowing he had lost the battle today, Grayson held his hands up in defense and conceded...for now.

         "A medium coffee. Regular." The tenseness in Emory's shoulders lessened some and she went about getting a cup and pouring the coffee, adding sugar and cream the way he liked it. He always ordered the same coffee sometimes adding a muffin or pastry with it depending on his mood. Clasping a lid over the white Styrofoam cup, she handed it to him trying not to think about the way their fingers brushed for the briefest of seconds. Knowing the price by heart by now, he reached into his jean pocket and pulled out some cash.

         "You know," he began as he handled her two dollars, "you're just gonna have to say yes to me." He said, flaunting his pearly whites one last time before turning and heading for the door. Grayson paused for only a moment at the door, glancing back to give a half hearted salute before leaving. Emory gave a sigh of relief and leaned against the counter. She always got so frazzled and prickly when Grayson visited.

         "That boy is fine." Jaclyn's voice sounded from the doorway to the back room.

         "And I have a boyfriend remember."

         "Oh yes that boy that forgot your birthday and your six month anniversary. Right, he's such a catch." Jaclyn commented, pretending to examine her perfect nails. Emory glanced down at her hand and wiggled the fingers that had brushed his. She could still feel the slightest touch of his warmth on them.

         "You can't expect someone to remember everything." She said quietly, peering out the front windows focused on Grayson as he sat on the bench just outside and pulled out his guitar.

         "They were a month apart. You would think he'd remember at least one of them." She huffed.

         "You don't have to like him Lyn."

         "Good, because I don't. I rather dislike him actually." Jaclyn snapped. Jaclyn had never approved of Anthony ever since they had started dating seven months back. When asked why she just kept saying that he always gave her a creepy feeling when he was around, which Emory immediately dismissed because men that wore socks with sandals also gave Jaclyn a creepy feeling. "All I'm saying is that he remembered your birthday and you're not even dating him." She pointed out, gesturing to Grayson. Emory just shook her head.

         "He only remembered my birthday because you told him when it was a week before."

         "My point stands. He even got you a cupcake. What kind of boy gets a girl that has rejected him so many times anything for their birthday?" Emory pulled the hair tie out of her hair, letting it fall to her shoulders.

         "A crazy one." Emory muttered as she untied her apron. It was late and her shift was ending. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep, leaving all this nonsense behind her. "I'll see you tomorrow." She said, getting her purse from the back room before reappearing in the front. Jaclyn was already with another customer, but managed a wave as Emory moved toward the door.

         "Get home safe." Jaclyn said before turning her full attention on the customer.

Emory passed through the doors and zipped up her hoodie as the chill passed over her the moment she stepped out into the night.

         "Sleep well Emory." Grayson said passively as his long fingers strummed random tunes on his guitar. The sound was somber and almost sad. It almost made her stop to listen, but deciding it wasn't the best idea, she nodded in acknowledgement and began her long trek home down the almost deserted streets of Chicago.

* * *

         Kicking her apartment door closed behind her, Emory immediately shed her shoes. She had a rather small apartment, some optimists would say it was cozy. It had one bedroom, one bath, a tiny kitchen that was separated from the living room by only a half wall. She had first moved in the minute she got out of high school and started working at Jaclyn's shop.

         Pale blue walls stared back at her as she shuffled through her living room. It was clean as usual; Emory never had been a cluttered person. A small TV set sat against the wall with a single tan couch was situated in front of it. Hardwood floors made up must of the apartment baring the tiled floors in the kitchen and bathroom. The walls were bare of pictures or adornments. The only sign that someone lived here were the dirty dishes in the sink, the unmade bed, and the clothes in the hamper other than that it was lifeless.

         Changing into pajamas which consisted of an oversized gray T-shirt and blue bottoms, Emory fell onto her bed with a tired sigh; she snuggled into her pillow and closed her eyes. It only took a few moments for her to fall asleep in the silence of her apartment.

         A dark shadow passed over her window, its abnormally long black fingers lingering before disappearing into the night. There was a quiet creak of her window latch unlocking and opening. The wind picked up outside rattling the leaves in the trees before suddenly a shadow loomed over her figure like an inky pitch black blanket.

         As if sensing that something was off, her eyebrows knitted together and Emory's breathing picked up into a mixture of pants and pained moans. Shifting in the bed, her blankets twisted around her unnaturally helped along but dark tendrils, effectively trapping her. Unable to move, Emory slid her groggy eyes open in confusion. She blinked back sleep as blackness consumed her vision until a deep laugh pierced the black like a dagger into malleable flesh, disfiguring it forever.

         Her eyes flew open at the realization that someone else was in her apartment. She opened her mouth to scream, but failed as what felt like impossibly cold hands squeezed her throat. She tried to pull at her makeshift bonds frantically feeling dread pool in her stomach.

         "Now, now, don't get too excited. I wouldn't want you to die of fright." The voice echoed in the room. It sounded like she was hearing it from underwater with how it resounded throughout her entire being. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes as her struggles continued still unable to scream for help.

         For the first time, movement caught her eyes and a dark figure suddenly appeared from the endless black that had once covered her vision. She couldn't make out any details only that deep voice of a man and how it chilled her down to her bones.

A shadowed hand reached out toward her and she tried her best to edge away as it came down on her head petting it as if she were a small frightened animal that needed comforting. "No need to fear child. It will all be over soon." He said softly as if he meant no harm to her. Swallowing, Emory struggled to say something...anything to deter this man from whatever he was intending to do with her.

         "St..op..." Was the only word she managed to get out. No answer came to her plea. Instead, the figure's other arm raised up and in his dark hand something glittered silver in the moonlight. She realized too late what it was as the man's hand thrust downward in an action almost too fast for her to see.

         Pain exploded from her chest and a loud scream finally was torn from her throat. She arched off the bed as the dagger dug deep into her chest piercing her heart. Her eyes were as wide as saucers and her mouth agape in her scream. All the while the same hand remained on her head, petting her hair as if she were a child.

         Seconds ticked by in complete overpowering silence as the pain paralyzed her. Her head lolled to the side and all she was able to see was the moon and stars out her window. The night air was cool on her sweating face making her shiver involuntarily. The thought that she should be dead by now crawled sluggishly through her hazy mind as coldness took over the pain until nothing but numbness remained.

         She gasped as the last beats of her heart drummed in her ears slowing until finally it stopped completely. Was this what it felt like to die she wondered vaguely as her eyes set themselves on the bright full moon.

         Out of the corner of her eye she could see, the dagger was removed and a shadow sped into the wound that was gushing blood. She sucked in a breath as those impossibly cold hands encased her heart and tugged... Like a grape being pulled from a vine, her heart was pulled from her chest and hovered in mid air above her before the shadowed man reached out and grabbed it. She knew it was impossible to be watching this. She knew she should have been dead, but neither of those realities hit her as she watched this man, who held no details of a face or body other than dark limbs, squeeze her heart painfully tight before relaxing his grip. To her astonishment, it began to glow a deep red and started to beat again. The numbness was sucked out of her that moment and heat rushed back to her body.

         The man fully satisfied with his prize, turned with her heart in his hands.

         "She of no more use. Do what you will with her." His commanding voice floated in her ears like air rushing through a wind tunnel. He was gone a second later.

         There was nonsensical chattering around her like clicks coming from everywhere. The black abyss that was her bedroom began to shift and twist, eerily in the pale moonlight. With wide eyes, Emory watched in utter horror as she could begin to make out things crawling around in the shadows. Her bonds were released then and the momentary relief of being freed diminished as she realized with a thick swallow and a shattered breath that they had released her not to let her go but for a far darker purpose. She could feel it; somehow she knew these shadowed creatures, these monsters, meant to eat her. Bile rose up in her throat, she wanted to throw up. She had to get away. Emory tried to sit up, but a weight on her chest, which burned with the slightest touch, held her still.

         Blinking open for the first time mere inches from her face, narrow eyes the color of blood stared at her. They were not human in anyway. Their whites were replaced by soot black and their pupils were contorted wide oblongs like a goats. A mouth opened out of the formless black revealing blood stained serrated teeth which shown in the moonlight like rubies. Emory numbly realized that the weight on her chest was a massive claw. The head revered up posed for the kill. She couldn't believe this was happening, that this would be the end of her.

         She opened her mouth to scream when a something as thin as a needle and as bright as a star whisked in from the open window and embedded itself into the creature's hide. The wound seared, but the monster seemed unaffected by the small annoyance until two, three more joined the first. Soon the side of the shadowed monster was covered like a porcupine in the gleaming white needles. It gave a pained groaned, but remained intent on it's soon to be feast.

         "Just die already!" A male voice cursed as something dark swung through the window, feet first, kicking the beast off of her. The newcomer landed gracefully on her bed, kneeling. Reaching into his pocket quickly it pulled out what looked like a small ball of light, squeezed it, and tossed it into the middle of the room before he dove to cover her. Emory screeched at the sudden weight on top of her and tried to push the man off when his large hand slapped over her eyes and a soothing voice whispered into her ear.

         "I'm here to help. I won't hurt you." The familiarity of his voice tugged at her mind telling her she should know who he is, but she drew a blank. Her hand absently twitched at her side.

         A moment later the room burst with the brightest light imaginable. With his fingers, Emory could make out only the barest of detail and the room flooded with white. Pain flared in her eyes as she stared forcing them to close tight and her body to tense. Loud screeches echoed throughout the small room until finally all fell to silence and the light faded leaving the room in shadows.

         The weight on her body lessened as the man sat up, but she couldn't bear to open her eyes. They stung too badly. Her chest arched and her wrists and ankles were rubbed raw from her struggles. As the feeling of danger passed, Emory's head fogged up with dizziness as a wave of exhaustion crashed down on her. Her eyes cracked open for but a second only able to catch a glimpse of the man who had saved her from those monsters. The only detail that struck out in her mind was his bright green eyes...

         "You're safe now." His voice drifted softly as sleep captured her.



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