Page 35 of When Night Falls

Questions swim around in my head. I have another twenty-four hours before he claims to come and collect me but I still have so much I want to learn and I just don’t see that happening if I’m stuck at work all day.

That’s when I remember, I'm the boss and I can just as easily close the store down for the day. I’m sure no one will notice.

I pull on my leggings, a crewneck and some sneakers and jog the distance down to the shop. I don’t have to do much other than put up a posted sign stating my closure.

The air is crisp this Monday morning, filling my lungs in refreshing waves. As I enter the bookstore, thoughts of what my future would look like if I took Rivian’s offer. I don’t even really know what his offer is other than marriage and intangible promises.

As I’m working on writing up a closure sign, I hear something in the distance. It almost sounds like a book falling to the floor. I know my piles are unorganized and rather questionable, but I decide to go look anyway if only to calm my intrusive thoughts.

I’m not shocked to findthe Tell-Tale Heart and Other Writingsby Edgar Allen Poe laying gracefully on the ground. It’s as if it fell, but someone made sure it didn’t suffer the fall. I roll my eyes, knowing just how this book got here and by whom.

I reach for my phone, suddenly remembering that I kissed my shadowed admirer. It wasn’t rough or cold like I thought it would be. It was actually warm and inviting until he pushed me away. I don’t know what I was thinking, but something pulled me into him and I don't regret letting it.

My finger hovers over his name in my phone. I want to call out to him to see if he’s still lingering, but I don’t want him to confuse that as an invite because we had a deal.

I click his name and let the prompt screen pop up.

Call or Message

I want to call him, but I don't want his voice to sway me one way or the other, something that is proven he can do.

So I open up a new text message thread because he can't compel me via text, right?

Rivian, it's Lucynda.

Is the first text I send, and I wait because I want to make sure it's really him before I start typing unbelievable questions to a stranger.

Lucynda.

Is all his response says.

We had a deal. Space, remember?

I don’t know what you’re referring to, little one.

I walk toward the front desk again to finish the sign to post, and that’s when I see him out of the corner of my eye.

Rivian stands across the street, where he seems to fancy himself the most while he watches me. I don’t feel angry or annoyed at his attempt to secretly break our deal, instead I only keep doing what I’m doing.

I see you.

Having dreams of me then?

I send him the eye roll emoji and get back to my task.

I take a deep breath as I walk toward the front door to tape up my makeshift sign. I see him intently watching me, dressed in his black attire, keeping his identity hidden from others to see.

I take out my phone again, watching him from the inside of my store and I decide to text him.

Why did you choose me to make your wife? Why not choose someone else?

I watch him as he lowers his head to the phone to respond.

There's a rare lore in our world. It can be called many things such as a tether or a bind. The proper term for it is the anima vinculum which roughly translates to soul bond. Think of it as a mate to a werewolf. Like I said, it's rare but usually when it presents itself, it's a rather powerful soul match and it is somewhat frowned upon to not marry into that.

So, what are you saying?

I'm saying that you are my tether. My anima vinculum. And whether you feel it or not, it's there and I have to act on it.