Page 5 of Women Love Wraiths

I thought of how the fingers knew exactly what movements my body responded to. It was an odd thing to think about while getting myself off, but it wasn’t the first time. I’d dreamt of hot vampires and sexy shifters before, and I always came so hard after those dreams.

As I floated back to earth after my orgasm, I wondered about the creature again. The logical explanation was I imagined the whole thing—the attacker, my savior, the hands—but I knew it really happened. I didn’t know how I knew, but I knew.

I would go back to the woods again. Maybe the thing had moved on and wasn’t there anymore, but I had to try. My curiosity about the whole situation was too much to resist. I hadn’t experienced anything like it before and wanted to see it again.

As I closed my eyes, I tried to think of other things. Quieting my mind for sleep was usually difficult unless I was extremely tired like the night before. This time, it was next to impossible, but as I drifted back into the dream world on the edges of unconsciousness, I felt something cold brush my cheek.

Chapter 4

“What’s wrong?” I asked Jenna as she sat down across from me at the local coffee shop we haunted regularly the next week. She had dark circles under her eyes and her features were pulled into a frown. “Is it Alex?”

She dropped her keys to the table with a thud. “Jade, what’s your deal with him? I know you don’t like him, but why do you always have to assume it's something with him?”

I leaned back in my chair as I sipped my black coffee. “Because it usually is. Tell me it's something else.”

The air shifted as she threw her hands up and huffed. “Fine. It’s Alex, but you don’t have to be so annoying about it.”

I chuckled. “Jen, babe, I’m your best friend and have been for over a decade. It’s my job to be annoying.”

That got me a small smile.

“Seriously, what is it this time? Did you get into another argument?”

She pursed her lips and looked away. “Not exactly. I’m in my own head about shit.” She took a gulp of her iced latte and looked back at me. “I’m worried he’s going to leave. He’s been distant and not communicating as much. There are days where we don’t even talk anymore.”

Alarm bells went off in my head. “Did you talk to him about it? What’s his reason?”

“I haven’t talked to him yet,” she said, shaking her head. “I’m trying to find the right time. I know we’ve only been together for six months, but I care about him already.”

My best friend always fell fast and hard for the people she dated. When it didn’t work out, she was always devastated, like the sun would never shine again. A lot of late nights with ice cream in front of the TV watching The Notebook were on her horizon if things ended with Alex.

“Jenna, I love you, but you need to talk to him sooner rather than later and get to the bottom of this,” I urged. “If you’re feeling neglected, you can’t just let it go and be complacent. You’re communication averse when it comes to your relationships. I know it’s because you don’t want it to end, but wouldn’t that be better than wondering?”

Jenna looked at the table as if she were trying to burn a hole into it. Finally, she sighed and lifted her latte. “I know, Jade. I hate conflict and I really hate facing the possibility of losing him. I’m just so over every guy I date getting tired of me. I don’t understand why I’m so unloveable.”

“First of all, if you were unlovable would I be here? Second, why not open to women again? They are much better at this.” I laughed, trying to lighten the mood, but only earned a kick under the table instead. I hated seeing my friend upset. I had my own opinions of Alex, but it was her life.

“I’m serious, bitch! You don’t count. You’re stuck with me even if you don’t want to be. You know I’m still fucked up over Sarah though, and that was four years ago.”

I groaned. “Oh yeah, I trauma blocked that. It wasn’t fun seeing you so defeated. You’re lucky I didn’t go apeshit on her.”

“Yeah, well, it wasn’t fun going through it either and I still have shit I’m dealing with over her. But, back to the original topic, I’m not totally out on Alex yet. The dick is too good to give up just yet.”

“Well, at least there’s that.” I raised my coffee cup to her in a cheers. TMI didn’t exist in our friendship. We told each other all the details no matter what they were.

Jenna finally relaxed in her chair and the mood lightened. “What about you? What the fuck happened in the graveyard a few weeks ago?”

This was the first time I’d seen Jenna since that night, and she knew not to ask for a while. Best friend telepathy. We always texted every day and she’d offered to come over the next day to make sure I was alright. I didn’t let her since I was fine and just wanted to sleep. I had to argue with her for half an hour on the phone before she’d agreed to leave me be.

“It’s really no big deal, Jen,” I said as I finished off my coffee.

Jenna scoffed. “Stop being coy. You gave me the ‘no bullshit’ treatment so now I’m doing the same. What happened, Jade?”

“You wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, her blonde hair shining in the sun. “Tell me anyway.”

I tossed my cup into a nearby recycle bin. “Fine. I was attacked.” I sighed. “There was a man in the woods and he hit me in the head.”