Corin & Angelique (After the Fall of Night) by Sherri Claytor Page A

parted, not even by death. And the thought of the spirits resting there, beneath that sacred earth, rising from their graves and dancing amid the stones was enthralling. She could picture the ghostly scene in her mind.
    She looked up at the moon ruling the night sky and imagined it pulling the dead from their resting places, calling them forth to dance under a massive sea of lights, all in honor of eternal love. Angelique had to admit to wishing the tale was true, but she wouldn’t hold her breath. Yawning, she looked down at her watch. It read 12:10 a.m.
    “I guess there’ll be no dancing spirits tonight.” She pushed herself up, figuring she’d best head home, not wanting Tomes to find her gone and send out a search party.
    Angelique left the cemetery with the intention of heading straight home, but when she came to a small bridge that spanned one of many creeks running through the hilly, wooded area, she had an inclination to stop. Pulling over, she got out without the tiniest bit of apprehension—she had no fear of being out there all alone—making her way down a slope to the rushing water below. The bank lay blanketed in darkness beneath the cover of the overhanging trees. The movement of the water cooled the air as it rolled along practically unseen, flowing into some imperceptible black void. Very little light hit its surface, but where it did manage to dapple through, it sparkled like melted silver.
    She walked along the bank, away from the road. The scene reminded her of a black and white movie, with everything appearing in shades of gray. She took a seat on a large rock at the water’s edge and stared into the endless depths of rippling water. Examining the reflections, she found her own dim, distorted outline.
    Falling deep into her thoughts, she sat motionless, until the sound of crunching leaves caused her to jump and turn back. She wasn’t alone. Not knowing what to expect, Angelique searched the ground for a limb or rock, anything she might use to defend herself. Her heart pounding fast and hard, she grabbed a branch, gripping it tightly to face the unseen intruder.
    “Who’s there?” she called out in a shaky voice.
    A tall male figure stepped out from the shadows, his outline just visible. A chill swept through her as he approached. “Who are you?” she demanded, her voice desperate. She stiffened in fear, her eyes wide, preparing to release a scream.
    “It’s okay,” the man finally spoke.
    “Corin, is that you?”
    “Yes,” he assured her, his face coming into view.
    He almost didn’t look real, the sight of him the only color in an otherwise somber scene.
    “I think you enjoy sneaking up on me. What are you doing out here?”
    “I should be asking you that question. I saw your car by the road and thought something might be wrong.”
    “No. Nothing’s wrong.”
    “You shouldn’t be out here all alone so late at night. It’s after midnight. You don’t listen to anyone, do you?”
    “I’ve taken plenty of nighttime drives before. This isn’t the first.”
    “We’ve been over this. What if I’d been the killer,” Corin argued.
    “No lectures…please.” Angelique dropped the limb. “I get enough of that from Tomes. Besides, I’ve always felt so safe in these woods. This is where I find my solace. I’m drawn to the wilderness at night. I guess you could call me a Vampira Pocahontas. ” Angelique laughed.
    “Being drawn to the night and wilderness is something I completely understand. As you plainly see, you’re not the only one out wandering the deserted roadways after midnight.”
    “So that’s what you’re doing out here, succumbing to the call of the wild?”
    “For the most part. The night is my time.”
    “Yes. I know that about you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you out during the day.”
    Angelique looked up as an owl called out from the dark canopy above them, impressed when Corin returned its call.
    “Amazing. You sound just like it.”
    “We