The Club

CHAPTER 16

"I'm coming for you, Erika. You can't hide from me."

I spin around, looking for the source of the voice. But I know it's pointless because the voice doesn't actually belong to a person. Or at least not a person who can be seen. A voice is haunting me? I sound like a crazy person. Get a grip Erika. I turn on my Apple TV and crank up iTunes hoping it will drown all the other noise out. Avenged Sevenfold blares from my speakers and I let M. Shadows voice wash over me. A little loud music is just what I need. I get thirty seconds into the song when the app crashes. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end as I grab my remote and crank it back up. I go back to my laptop on the table to continue searching for anything that can help me find the key when a crash sounds from behind me.

"You can't ignore me, Erika." His voice is angry and taunting as he adds, "I'm coming for you."

I take off running down the hall noticing my flat screen smashed on the floor. That thing was bolted to the wall. I slam my bedroom door behind me and lock the knob. My hands are shaking as I push one of my plush chairs in front of the door. Realistically I know a lock or chair won't keep him from coming in here but it makes me think I'm safer. If he were human that would stop him. It's better than not doing anything.

Walking backward my legs hit something and I jump with a shriek. But it's my bed and there's nothing in here with me. I'm alone in here. I know this. Just to be sure I drop to the floor and check for the monsters that are not underneath it. When I come up empty handed, I run over to my closet and fling the door open. Again nothing there. I take a seat on my bed waiting for something anything to happen. A maniacal laugh echoes throughout my apartment and I reach for my phone on my nightstand. I don't let myself think before I pull up my contacts and hit send. It rings once and I almost hang up when his groggy voice comes over the line.

"Erika what's wrong?"

It's only then that I look at the clock on my nightstand and realize how much of an idiot I am. "I'm really sorry, Graham. I didn't realize what time it is. Go back to sleep."

"It's fine. I'm awake now." I hear some shuffling on his end like he's moving around. I almost ask him what he's doing but he comes back over the line. "So what's going on?"

I sigh and lie back on my bed. I should lie. That's better than the truth at this point. Because if I tell him that he'll think I'm crazy.

"I had a bad dream. Or maybe it wasn't really a dream. I don't know."

"Tell me about it."

And I can't help the words as they start flowing out of my mouth like the crazy person I am. "You're going to think I sound crazy, but I've been hearing voices. Or more like one voice."

There's a long pause on his end. I pull the phone from my ear to make sure the call is still connected. When I see the timer still counting up the time we've been on the phone my heart drops. He thinks I'm insane. He takes a small breath and drags the word out as he says it. "Okay."

"See, you think I'm crazy. Shit, even I know that sounds crazy, but I promise you it's actually happening."

"What does the voice say?" I hear more movement on his end like a door shutting. God, I hope he isn't planning on going pee while we're on the phone. That would be too weird. I wouldn't even count what we did earlier as a date and even then I don't think I would be comfortable with my husband peeing in front of me. Some things are better left behind closed doors. Alone.

I pause. He's really going to think I'm crazy if I tell him the truth. Then again I might as well since it's the middle of the night and I can't exactly justify waking him up for this phone call without a legitimate reason. I take a deep breath and lean back against my pillows. "The gist of it is that whoever is attached to the voice is coming for me."

"What, like the devil?"

"Or the grim reaper. I don't know, but I'm starting to really take this whole twenty-seven club thing seriously."

There's a knock on my door startling me and causing me to drop the phone on my bed. It's two in the morning. Who the hell would be up this early and banging on my door? Unless it whoever he is, is making noises out in my living room. But it definitely sounded like it was my front door and not random shit banging around.

"Erika? Are you still there?"

Shit my phone.

I pick it back up and bring it to my ear. "Sorry, I dropped my phone. There's someone banging at my door right now and it scared the shit out of me."

"Yeah it's me. Now come open up."

I jump out of bed and head out of my bedroom to the front door. "You're here?" I ask as I swing the door open and find Graham waiting for me. He looks adorable with his rumpled hair, plaid pajama bottoms, white t-shirt, and framed glasses. When I saw him earlier, or I guess it was yesterday now that it's so early in the morning, he must have had contacts in. But this nerdy sexy look he has going on makes me want to pull him in here and strip every piece of clothing off him. Who knew that Graham McKenzie could get me going while I'm in the middle of a crisis? And why the hell didn't he look this good in high school?

He smiles at me, no doubt aware of my perusal of his body and my racing heart beat which was going crazy moments ago out of fear and now out of lust. If I don't stop it, I'll drop dead of a heart attack right here and now. He takes a hesitant step forward as my tongue slips out and runs along my top lip. Even rumpled right out of bed he looks yummy. An audible groan comes from his direction and brings me out of my head as I mentally try to strip away his clothing. Leaving nothing but those damn glasses behind.

Did he say something?

"How did you get here so fast?" Bringing my phone down from my ear, I end the call, and drop my arm down to my side.

"We didn't get a chance to talk about it earlier, but I live here." I open my mouth to ask him where but he puts his hand up and stops me. "Here in the building. Now what's going on?"

Geez he's a mind reader.

Wait. He lives here too? How weird is that? I motion for him to come in and I close the door behind him. He glances down at the disaster of my TV crashed to the ground but he doesn't say a word. I lead him to my kitchen and I take a seat on one of the bar stools. Better to be away from the mess in the living room. Although now that he's seen that he'll either believe me or think I tore my place apart.