Page 18 of Wrong Bed Right Alien

Her phone chimed with a text.

My driver will pick you up at five.

Ha! The hell he will. Kimber replied to Pel’s message.No need. I have a ride but thank you. What’s the address?

A simple reply popped up.

Her stomach grumbled, reminding her she’d only had a croissant and coffee from the hotel breakfast bar this morning. Ripping open a stale protein bar she’d brought from her desk drawer at work, she nibbled on it and gathered her things. Then she pulled up directions to the castle on her GPS. The address Pel had given her didn’t seem very precise, and the app had trouble finding the best route. The rain had stopped. Deciding to head out early in case she got lost, or the weather turned bad again, Kimber groaned as she got into the car and considered how to start it.

There was a push button but also a place for a key. Clutch, gas, break. A big shifter and a small one. Too many buttons on the chunky metal dash. Using the key, she started the car, then placed her foot on the clutch and gas and put the car in gear. It lurched, sputtered, died.

Determined, she regrouped and tried again. The car shifted smoothly as she pulled into traffic, picked up speed and shifted into the next gear… and killed the car. A truck honked wildly behind her before going around. Clenching her jaw, she tried again and eased her way out of town, following the GPS at a low speed so she didn’t have to shift again. Finally, the town faded behind her, a country road sprawling ahead. She picked up speed, shifting smoothly, finally sailing along. Her mood lightened, and she eased into the seat, very aware of the sides of the car boxing her in. It felt like a coffin.

The road twisted like a winding snake, tightly coiled with switchbacks as she went up a series of high, rolling hills. Gritting her teeth, she slowed to a crawl and navigated the road with fingers dug around the steering wheel.

I’m not dying in this car! No clown car coffin for me.

Daylight faded; the sky overcast with angry storm clouds that seemed to get more dismal the higher she climbed. Fumbling for the headlights, she turned them on just as the road ahead morphed from moderately paved to positively crumbling. A series of potholes rattled the entire car, and, at one point, the road completely eroded into mud. Muttering a string of curse words, she groaned as rain dripped onto the windshield.

Rounding a sharp corner, she spied lights from atop a hill up ahead. Getting closer, she sighed in relief as the castle came into view. It was remarkably squat and misshapen for a castle. As she got closer, Kimber’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. It looked like the top half of the castle had snapped right off, leaving the shortened base to crumble in its wake. Someone had patched a flat roof over the top. Broken scaffolding lined the sides of the building, long forgotten and unused.

If the car didn’t kill her, the castle probably would.

Creeping up the steep, muddy driveway, Kimber let out a huge breath as she pulled in and activated the parking brake. The rain unleashed and pummeled the car like it was trying to get in. Lifting her portfolio over her head, she exited the car and made a dash for the front door.

There wasn’t a knocker or a bell, so she pounded with her fist. The heavy wooden door barely made a sound as she knocked. Rain slapped at her despite the stone overhang and quickly worked through her jacket and jeans. What the hell? Wasn’t this supposed to be a party?

Had she come to the wrong castle?

Knocking again with the same result, Kimber dug out her phone to call Pel. She was about to press dial when the door flung open. Pel stood there in a white robe, his arms spread like he was giving a blessing over her.

“Kimmie. Lovely. Please, come in.”

Her jacket clung wetly to her back as she forced a smile and entered to the stale scent of mold and damp air.

“Your guest?” He asked as he closed the door. It clanked on the frame with a finality that reverberated through her body.

His robe fluttered around his feet, bare toes peeking out. Eyeing his choice of outfit curiously, she met his eyes. “You didn’t mention this was a costume party.”

He laughed overzealously. “You’ll see. You’ll see. Let me show you to your room.” One hand snaked to her arm and ran down it slowly. “I have so much planned for the two of us.”

Her heart picked up pace as a sickly shiver raced over her scalp. Peering past him over his shoulder, she noticed the interior was oddly dark and absent of the sounds of other guests. Was anyone else even here?

“Where is everyone?”

She took a step back. Some of the saccharine pleasantness faded from his eyes. “Meditating, of course.”

Meditating. Meditating?

Running his hand up her arm, he slid it to her back and galloped his fingertips down her spine. “Dinner. Conversation. Drinks. The grand finale. Once those inconveniences are out of the way, you and I will have that private interview.”

He winked like they shared a secret. Bile rose in the base of her throat.

“I’d rather we conduct the interview earlier this evening, Mr. Cappa.”

Leaning close, his gaze roved her chest, her neck, his lips moving closer to her ear. “We can take our time, can’t we? Get to know each other.”

Recoiling, Kimber white knuckled the strap of her portfolio. “While I appreciate the dinner invitation, this isn’t a social meeting. And I really need to stay on schedule.”

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