Black Crow
The Thompson's weren't the first American family to settle down in Scotland. Evelyn "Eve" Graves was thirteen at the time of her move from the unique, familiar surroundings of Portland, Oregon. She didn't have any friends to spend time with outside of school, which hadn't changed when her parents uprooted her life. Two years later, with her fifteenth birthday looming, Eve encounters a roguish boy; a boy with glowing, ruby red eyes and a set of razor-sharp fangs. Any sane person would've tried to run for their life, but not Eve, and soon finds that sometimes dead things should stay dead or at least forgotten. Not long after her encounter with Gregory do strange things start happening around her, to her, and to the people she loves most - even though Eve hated to admit it.
Chapter 1: A Cruel Prank
I look ridiculous.
Staring at the reflection in the mirror another girl stared back at her, frowning just the same as she was. Was this the same person she was yesterday? Her jet-black hair, naturally straight, was being curled into soft ringlets by her mother; who was complaining about the vibrant red highlights showing proudly through her bangs.
Why did I ever agree to this?
"Hold still, Evelyn, or I'll burn you!"
Cat-like green eyes glared back at the unfamiliar girl in the large ornate mirror sitting atop her mother's dresser. Her makeup was almost romantic in hues of pastel blue and smokey gray. Her lips were painted the color of pale pink, a bit lighter than their natural shade. There was a stranger staring back at her.
A girly, doesn't-wear-boxers-underneath-her-dress girl.
"At which point of this date can I puke?"
For the first time since 'helping' her daughter get ready to go out with the eldest McAshton boy Katherine laughed, setting aside the hot curling iron in her hands to run her fingers through the shoulder-length thickness of Eve's hair.
"Not even on the way home! You should feel lucky catching the attention of such a nice, handsome boy."
If you only knew what Thomas was like at school..
"With all the piercings you have, my child. I'm just happy he didn't run away screaming!"
Of course, that's all you think about. Isn't it, mother?
I will never be the doll you want me to be.
Evelyn shook her head puffing out a breath of air angrily, turning on her high heel to storm out of her mother's bedroom in a dramatic fashion. "I'm not going now. You can forget that, put it out of your mind and get over it as quickly as ripping off a band-aid."
With a long, sorrowful sigh her mother reached a hand up to pinch the bridge of her nose covering her eyes from view with the rest of her fingers, "What happened to my baby? I didn't raise you like this at all. I used to put you in skirts as a toddler, don't you remember that?"
Evelyn knew what her mother was trying to do. For a second she paused in her steps, hovering in the open bedroom doorway with the wrought-iron knob clasped in her long, slender fingers. Part of her was tempted to bolt for the living room of the large, castle-style home and slam it shut behind her, imaging the walls shaking and picture frames falling to the ground from the force.
Shattering to pieces.
She always does this!
Always tries to guilt trip me when she doesn't get what she wants, but this time won't work.
It can't work. I really cannot stand Thomas.
To fake being severely hungry Evelyn doubled over, crying out as if in pain, "I need food now though! I don't think I can wait forever on Tom to come get me. Maybe he won't show up at all and this is just one, big cruel prank? Aren't you and dad ordering pizza tonight?"
"But what if it isn't a prank, sweetie? Thomas could really be into you! Even though you are the way you are you're still my beautiful little girl."
She caved easily, hanging her head, "Fine! I'll go on this stupid date, but for real, where's daddy? I wanna say goodbye in case Thomas decides to take me far away and kills me, then dumps my hollow shell of a body into a ditch or lake, or something."
It took a whole hour before Thomas finally arrived at the Graves' household, bringing with him a toothy smile and a vase of roses; a bouquet of colorful assorted roses that she wrinkled her nose at, staring at their lively color in distaste. "Did you stumble across a unicorn that sneezed a rainbow all over these flowers?"
For a split second he looked like he had been slapped across the face, frowning, "Are they not beautiful enough for you? I can buy any kind of flower bouquet you want."
Katherine butted in, reaching over Eve to take the vase out of Thomas's hands with a nervous chuckle. "She's kidding! They're gorgeous, Tom."
Do I at least have the option of throwing up on the flowers?
"They'd be prettier if they were dead. Let's just get this over with, shall we? Movie, then dinner, and you can take me straight home afterwards."
As they left in Tom's truck she heard her mother calling after them, "Don't worry about staying out late! Just get home before midnight!"
Evelyn sunk low in the passenger seat, still confused on why she was on the left side of the vehicle, "Please let's just get this over with."
"What? You don't like my company, darling?"
Thomas leered over at her, daring to reach over with one hand to set it on her bare knee.
Damn this skirt.
"Don't touch me or you'll be pulling back a stump. I agreed to go on a date with you, not to be sexualized by you." She pushed away the offending appendage with a grunt of annoyance, though it came back to lay over her thigh, "I said don't touch me! Do you ever get told no?"
The leer was replaced with a scowl on Tom's face who pulled over onto the side of the road close to an old cemetery, "No. Sweetheart, no one dares to tell me no. I get what I want. Always." When he saw her hand inching for the handle of the passenger door he lunged at Eve, grabbing her by the shoulders and attempting to force her down, but she belted out a loud scream, nearly splitting open his eardrums.
"Quiet, you little whore! I thought you were a freak, baby?"
Pain flashed across her eyes, her cheek suddenly stinging red-hot. Thomas drew back his fist to land another blow, but her heel shot up and landed in the sweet spot between his legs, taking the opportunity to jump out of passenger side while he bent over howling in agony, "Bitch! Come back here. We aren't finished yet!"
Evelyn ran blindly in the dark, the nearest street lamp busted out, struggling to run in the heels her mother picked out for the date.
The cemetery!
Gotta get to the cemetery and find a place to hide.
It didn't take long for Tom to catch up. She left a trail of clothes behind her.
Left heel.
Right heel.
Fluffy, knit-shawl. White, innocent.
He licked his lips listening to the fall leaves crunching under bare feet several years ahead, "I'm gonna get you! I promise I won't hurt you. I'll make it feel good!"
Evelyn dared a glance over her shoulder, breath coming out like fog in front of her face. Without the warmth of a heater blowing in her face, across her body, goosebumps scattered along her arms and legs. She was cold, but not scared.
Never scared.
He's a persistent little shit!
All around her everything was silent. An eerie quiet you could only feel running through a cemetery after dark; a tangible, oppressive energy that hung in the air as if you were able to reach out and grab it. Ducking behind a headstone with a decaying angel standing on top of it for a moment Eve felt safe.
For a moment it felt as if she were protected somehow, guarded by some unseen thing. She felt watched.
Then arms wrapped around her waist, the weight of a larger body on top of her taking her to the ground. The arms of Thomas McAshton.
"Let go of me!"
The side of her face was being crushed into the soft, mushy grass and mud. Her hands wildly flailed, trying to land a hit unsuccessfully. Eve felt the adrenaline pumping hard through her veins, screaming as those foreign hands pinned her wrists to the ground, "Get off me!"
His erection ground against her backside, his hips bucking against the cotton of her panties as he took one of his hands from her wrists to hike up the dress.
"This is what you get for making me bleed, you goddamn slut. I bet you like it hard and fast, don't you?"
Evelyn's eyes watered, but she refused to let the tears fall. "Please, Tom!"
She heard the unmistakable sound of a belt being undone, crying out, "I'll do whatever you want. Just let me go, please. We can still go to that movie!"
"How about we make one instead, baby? I just can't wait to be inside of you."
Her panties ripped, the fabric no longer keeping her covered. She screamed loudly, screwing her eyes shut as raindrops poured from them, and tensed up, waiting for the pain of penetration. Tom's hot breath was in her ear and for a split second his tongue darted out of his mouth to tease the shell of her ear, until all of a sudden the weight lifted off of her back.
What's going on now?
What is he doing now?