Leading the Pack by David J. O'Brien

Author:David J. O'Brien
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: horror, gothic, werewolves, horror romance, gothic horror, gothic romance, paranormal gothic romance, paranormal gothic
Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

Chapter 11

Patrick was tired. It had been a long day already. Luckily, he had the last two classes of the afternoon free. Sitting on this bus, though, was wasting most of that; he had only two hours till sundown. He meant to make the most of them.

Cora’s apartment and office was in the front line of the new tower blocks, a penthouse in one of the first new buildings to go up along the docks. It had a wonderful view of downtown. But Patrick wasn’t interested in the view. He’d been pretending to be a patient two afternoons a week since January.

He stood in the elevator and watched the ground recede. It would be difficult to scale this building. Not impossible, but it would require practice, and patience. Perhaps Cora had chosen it for that reason.

“Good afternoon. I’m here for my four-o’clock appointment.”

The receptionist suspected. He wasn’t a typical client; probably the only male on the books. Nor did he look like he needed counselling. The grin he left the office with would make even the most doltish secretary suspect. Ms Swan was nothing if not discreet, however.

“Hello, Mr McHew.”

“I told you, Patrick.” He was too familiar for a client, too, but couldn’t resist chatting with her rather than silently waiting in the foyer.

“Well, young Mr McHew,” Cora said, opening the door to her office. She hadn’t stopped calling him that since they’d started this ruse.

She’d called by a couple of days after New Year’s Eve. Said she’d left something in the ballroom, gave Patrick her card. “You look like you need counselling. Call me and we can arrange a time,” she’d whispered as she’d left.

He’d called her the next day.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to make our Friday session,” he said.

“We’ll have to make this hour count for double.”

There were few places in the office they’d not used. They’d gone out on the terrace in winter, made love under the frigid sky. But in daylight there were too many helicopters taking tourists on pleasure rides.

Patrick watched several seagulls soar past, plying the river and hovering on the updraft from the sea breeze off the buildings. One came to a stop on the balcony railings, staring in with its black eye, the red spot on its beak bright now in preparation for nesting.

He watched Cora take off her skirt and blouse, wondered whether she would one day want to have a child. The subject had never been raised. Patrick wasn’t going to bring it up. He was content to go with the flow and not question when it would all end. Best to forget the future existed past the end of the hour and the rising of the moon. He held out his arms and she walked into them.

“Why don’t you stay another hour?” she asked afterwards. “I have the next hour free. I cancelled it especially, knowing you’d not be able to make Friday.”

Patrick shook his head, gazing out the window. The sun was falling fast. “The moon will be up soon.

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