Beating Hearts

Walking through the cemetery at night… probably not the smartest decision I’ve ever made.

It’s nice, though. Peaceful.

A little creepy, definitely, but… I actually don’t mind it.

I don’t know why people find it so unappealing. It’s just a park. A park filled with dead bodies, but…

I’d rather walk through the cemetery late at night than through the streets, if I’m being honest. And whatever, it’s the fastest way to get to the bus station from the hospital.

It’s cold tonight… like biting wind cold. Autumn is definitely in full swing. I should probably start digging out all of my cold weather jackets—

What was that?

Okay, I take it back. Cemeteries are creepy.

It was probably just an animal…

Shit…

How close am I to the gate? Looks like I’m… right in the middle of the cemetery. So, yeah, I’m just going to hurry my ass up…

A chill suddenly goes through me. And not from the cold.

I feel like… like something’s following me. I look over my shoulder, but… there’s no one.

I’m… yeah, I’m going to run.

“Oh my god, oh my god…”

I can’t—I can’t see anyone… there’s nothing. But something definitely pushed me. What the hell is going on?

Just… have to get to the gate…

My vision is going dark… everything… getting blurry…

No… I have to… stay awake…

The last thing I see before darkness envelops me is a man… running towards me… and for some reason… I feel… safe…

The world slowly comes back into focus. What…. Where am I…?

I’m in… a bed. Somewhere dark. Cold.

What is this place?

“Relax. Do not try to move.”

You’re suddenly standing at the side of the bed… like, you appeared out of thin air.

You must have just been standing there… outside of my vision or… something…

“Please. You should continue resting.”

“Who are you?”

“You are safe now.”

“Not what I asked.”

“My name is Alexander.”

“And where am I?”

“My home. In the cemetery. Not far from where you were attacked.”

“You live in the cemetery?”

“In the caretaker’s quarters.”

“Are you… the caretaker?”

“You could say that.”

Everything is a little… fuzzy, but I’m clear-headed enough to recognize when someone is dodging my questions.

But… I guess you did save my life, so… I’m not going to complain. For now.

“Do you remember what happened?”

“Um… there was… I was just cutting through the cemetery to get home. Someone… something attacked me…”

“Yes. You tripped as you were running and hit your head.”

I lift a hand to my head and… yeah. There’s already a knot forming.

“What was it? That was not a person, it was like—like a shadow—”

“It doesn’t matter. You’re safe now.”

“You keep saying that.”

“Do you not believe it to be true?”

“I’ve been awake for about fifteen seconds, so I’m really not sure yet.”

“You should drink some water.”

You move to the bedside table on my left and pour water from a silver carafe into a glass.

Now that I’m looking around, this whole room looks like it came straight out of the 1800s. I guess you… collect antiques or… something.

I watch your face as you pour and… your eyes. They’re… gray, like there’s no color to them at all.

It’s not just your home that feels out of place. There’s something… odd about you. Something… different.

“Here.”

“No offense, but… I just woke up in a stranger’s bed, and taking a drink from one seems like the next best way to end up dead.”

“Oh. Right, of course. Well… I’m afraid I don’t have much else here in the way of provisions.”

“That’s okay. I’m fine, really. I just… got the wind knocked out of me. I’m Charlie. By the way.”

“It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I only wish we’d met under more pleasant circumstances.”

“Yeah. Well… thank you. For… whatever you did.”

“It’s, unfortunately, not very safe here at night.”

“Yeah, clearly. I guess next time I’ll try to make a daytime appearance.”

“Were you visiting someone’s grave?”

“Um… not exactly.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry. It was just an observation. Not many people come here to grieve at night.”

“I work nearby, so I thought I would just cut through on my way to the bus stop. I guess I need to look into some self-defense if I’m going to keep doing that.”

“Well, as I said, I live on the grounds. So, if you do make it a habit of being attacked, I can make it a habit of attempting to save you.”

You… are… so strange. And you must be older than you look. By appearance alone, I would guess you’re in your mid-30s, maybe, but…

It’s not just your home that feels out of place. There’s something… odd about you. Something… different. A grace in the way you hold yourself and the way you speak. It’s kind of endearing.

“Well, I… better get going. I’ve got roommates who are probably freaking out right now.”

“You’re certain you’re alright? I’m more than happy to accompany you to the gates.”

“I’m in one piece. I’m all good, I promise.”

“Goodbye.”

“Bye.”

My walk home from the cemetery was uneventful, thankfully, but that night I dreamt of you.

And again the next night.

They were hard to recall… hard to describe. Mostly they were just feelings.

Just like in real life, you exuded such calm and peace in my dreams… and yet there was something a little dark about you. A cloud of uncertainty I couldn’t cut through.

Three days after my little graveyard disaster, I was working the late shift again, just like I had been that night. It was all I could think about that day, whether I should make a detour through the cemetery again, whether I might see you…

There was a logical side of me that found the idea ludicrous. I had been attacked there just three days ago. Why would I go back?

And the emotional side of me… the one I’m usually a little more in tune with… kept wondering about you, what you’re doing, why you live in that creepy old house…

You just stuck in my mind like… like a fever I couldn’t shake.

I just felt… drawn to you in this way that I’ve never felt before.

“You spend a lot of time in cemeteries, it seems.”

“Shit… God, you scared me.”

“I apologize. Just cutting through again?”

“Yeah, my new favorite shortcut. There’s a great view and a chance to get eviscerated.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it? A lot of people avoid it, I feel, but… I’m glad you appreciate it, too. Might I accompany you?”

“Yeah. Sure.”

“It’s good to see you again. Alive and well.”

Every time your eyes meet mine, I feel like you’re seeing right through me. Like you might know more about what I’m feeling than I do.

“Alive, yes. Well? Not so much. Work is kind of kicking my ass.”

“You work at the hospital. What is it that you do there?”

“Research, mostly. Internal medicine. What do you do?”

“Stop.”

Your arm shoots out in front of me, not touching me, but… just enough to feel the fabric of your coat brush against my shoulder.

You’ve stopped walking, and… you’re listening. To what, I have no idea. I hear nothing… see nothing…

“We need to go.”

“What?”

“Now.”

Your hand curls around mine, and suddenly we’re running.

It’s only when you pull me into a mausoleum and shut the massive stone door behind us that I realize how cold your hand is.

“We’ll be safe in here.”

“What—what is going on? Safe from what? You need to tell me what—”

“I’d like to not repeat what happened the last time you were here. So please, I know it’s frustrating, but will you trust me once more?”

I lean back against the cool stone wall and… just try to breathe.

When I look up at you, it… it feels like all the air has left my lungs. I can’t explain how or why, but half of me is telling me to run. And the other half is begging me to stay.

“Yeah. Yes. I… I trust you.”

You move away from the door and stand by me. Our faces are close…

“I promise I’ll tell you everything… soon.”

I know I should probably be scared. But I’m not. All I feel is this electricity buzzing through every part of my body… and it gets stronger every time you look at me.

I feel myself being pulled forward… drawn into you… it’s almost like I’m not in control. Like there’s something deeper happening…

There’s a palpable energy between us now. It’s not subtle anymore. It’s intense… and it’s consuming me.

“I’m sorry, I—”

You press your palm against my cheek, and… it’s cold. Now that I think about it… your mouth… your face… all of your skin is cold to the touch. But everything you’re doing is filling me with heat.

You tip my chin up just slightly, and your tongue pushes gently between my lips. Exploring… tasting me.

One of your hands drifts down to my hip and holds me steady. I press my body up against your and everywhere you’re touching me burns with sensation.

Your other hand curls around the fabric of my jeans just over my thigh.

You drag your mouth down my jaw and over the line of my collarbone, just barely brushing my skin as you move. Everything is slow, almost too slow. It’s overwhelming… how turned on I’m getting.

“I want to see more of you. Can I…?”

“Yeah.”

Your hands are gentle, but the shock of your cold touch makes me jump a little as you undo the buttons of my shirt.

I help you with the last two buttons, our fingers tangling together as I shrug out of my coat and shirt.

It’s cold in the mausoleum, and my nipples are already hard by the time your mouth closes around them.

“Oh my god…”

“Do you want me to keep going?”

“Yes… don’t stop.”

You press your hand between my legs and gently rub over the fabric. I lock my arms around your neck and rock against your palm.

“I want more… please…”

I don’t wait for you to respond. I just undo my jeans, take your hand in mine, and guide it inside my underwear.

You push two fingers through me, and I suddenly realize how wet I am. The feeling of you parting my lips… oh god.

You kiss my neck again, further up this time. Your lips are cool as your tongue glides over my pulse.

You bite down, just a little…

You curl your free hand around my jaw and gently tilt my head to the side.

“You taste incredible…”

I rock my body into yours, trying to get more of you. Your fingers run over my clit with smooth, slow strokes. Swirling around it… and it’s nowhere near enough.

Your fingers dip further down into me… all the way down to my entrance.

You lift your head, and your gray eyes sink into mine once again, like you’re asking for permission.

“May I…?”

“Oh my god, yes, please fuck me…”

You guide two fingers into my pussy and slide them in deep. Your body leans into mine, and the weight of you feels good… solid.

Every time your long fingers thrust inside me, a shock jolts through my system. Like it’s satisfying a deep hunger I’ve never noticed before.

“That’s so good… please…”

I bear down on your hand, trying to put more pressure on my clit, inviting you in deeper…

My nails dig into your forearms. I just can’t get you close enough.

“Tell me what you want…”

“I want… oh, fuck, I want you. I want to feel you inside me.”

Every nerve in my body is on fire as I fumble with your belt and the clasp around your pants. I’ve never felt a need like this before.

I take your cock into my hand and stroke it a few times. It’s already hard and throbbing.

I guide you to my pussy.

Your hips press up against mine… and the boundary between us dissolves.

Your thrusts are slow and full, and every second feels drawn out… like time is slowing down the closer our bodies get.

Each stroke of your cock fills me up completely… again and again… I can almost feel my mind drifting away. There’s nothing left in me but desperate want and need.

“Oh, yes… like that. F-faster, faster…”

Your mouth returns to my neck, and… this time, your teeth are sharp… and—

“Fuck…”

Your grip tightens around my hips, and you suck hard on my soft skin. Little jolts of pain shoot through me, but I don’t want you to stop.

“I’m—oh my god, don’t stop—I’m really close.”

Your thrusts are suddenly harder. Faster.

For a few moments, we just breathe together… your forehead pressed against mine.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“Why do I keep dreaming about you?”

“That’s… complicated. I promise, I will tell you everything the next time I see you.”

“They’re gone. We’re safe… for now.”

As I pass through the threshold, I catch my reflection against the glossy mirrored walls.

There’s a mark… on my neck… where you were kissing me and sucking on my neck.

The bruise that you left, it almost looks like… bite marks.