The Twisted Veil: A Twisted Sisters Anthology (The Twisted Sisters Anthologies Book 1) by Riley Ross, Sally Slayer, Kaydence Rayne, & Dovey Mayali Cralk
Chapter Five
Six months had passed, and early spring still found Pippa's valley in snow. Griffin delighted in teasing her about always being cold since he was unable to feel it. Pippa would slap at him, making him laugh even harder when she couldn't touch him. They were never apart anymore; Griffin would even sit on the floor of the bathroom when she soaked in the tub. She was embarrassed at first when he did it, but soon realized that she didn't really mind. He couldn’t see anything from down there, and besides that, she had fallen in love with him, not that she would ever admit that.
Griffin felt the same way, though neither had said the words out loud. He didn’t think it was fair to her, to feel some sense of obligation to a man she couldn't even touch. While it was like a physical pain to think of her with someone else, he knew that it was going to happen eventually, and wanted that for her. Pippa, on the other hand, was content with their situation. She would have liked to be able to hug him, or hold his hand, but if this was the only way she could have him, she'd take it.
They had developed a schedule between them; He'd chat with her while she had breakfast, then it was time for work. With Griffin pitching in ideas and doing the little things he could to help, she was quickly caught up on orders and had extra things made to put up for sale. During lunch was their quiet time, where she would sit in her swing and eat, if it was warm enough, while he went back to his room to rest and let his energy build back up while he had his own food. When he returned, they'd get on her computer and search for his sister, though they had had no luck with that so far. Then they'd play a game of chess or read to each other until supper, when he would go back to his body again for the meal and she would nibble on something while cleaning the house up. Once darkness hit, the two would sit on the couch and watch a movie. Every night, Griffin would wait until she was asleep, whether on the couch or in her bed, and use all of his energy to make sure she was covered and warm, then disappear, leaving her to dream of him, and he of her. His frustration grew every moment he reached out to touch her and remembered he couldn’t.
One night, after watching some cheesy horror flick that Pippa loved, he couldn't take it anymore. "I hate this!" he shouted, leaping up and pacing back and forth.
"Griff, what's wrong?" Pippa was alarmed, and had no idea what was happening.
He knelt in front of her and put his head in his hands. "This, Pips, all of this! All I want is to hold you, to wrap my arms around you when you jump like a little chicken at this stupid movie. To play with your hair, or have you lay your head on my shoulder! I want to kiss you, Pippa, to hold your hand and never let go. And I can't! I can't do any of that! It takes all I have just pull your blanket up when you go to sleep, and that wipes me out for the night. It's not fair, not to me or you. I should just stop coming here, but I can't make myself do it." His head dropped and he hid his eyes from her.
"I will never forgive you if you stop coming to see me!" she shouted at him. "Yeah, I know this isn't easy, not for either one of us, but I don't care. If this is all we can have, then it's all I need. I tried to search for your name when you were gone at supper, to find out where you are, but I couldn't find you anywhere, so this is our only option. If you don't want to see me anymore, that's fine, but don't you dare leave me here without you just because of some stupid notion of fairness! Look at me, Griffin, look at me!"
He raised his head and she was able to see how tortured his eyes were. "I'm sorry, Pip Squeak, I didn't mean to upset you. This is just so frustrating." His voice sounded tired.
Pippa leaned forward, making sure they were eyelevel. "Do something for me."
"Anything, what is it?"
She took a deep breath, "When I say go, make yourself solid. Don't try to touch anything in particular, just be here."
He looked confused. "But, you know I'll just vanish in a few seconds, what's going on?"
"Griffin! Just do as I ask!"
His eyes widened. It had been a little over six months since she had yelled at him. "All right, okay, I'll do whatever you want. Just give me the word."
She smirked at him. "First, how long does it take for you to...you know, solidify?"
"Well, it's pretty much instantaneous. As soon as I decided to do it, it happens."
"Good! Okay, are you ready?" He nodded. "Go!"
Before even a second had passed, she felt his breath on her face. Reaching out, she put her hands behind his head and pulled him to her, planting her lips against his. He was shocked for a second, and then kissed her back. His hands were reaching for her when he was suddenly back in his room, arms stretched out and reaching for nothing. Pippa toppled off the couch, still leaning forward into the kiss.
Rolling onto her back, she put her fingers to her lips, reveling in the memory of the feel of his. "Wow," she whispered to herself, giggling.
In the little blue room, Griffin dragged himself to the bed, grinning like a fool. He didn't like that he was back there, but he certainly hadn't minded the reason he was back. Collapsing onto his pillow, he quickly fell asleep, dreaming of having Pippa in his arms.
This became a new part of their routine, she sending him back with a kiss every night. He missed watching her sleep, but made up for it by slipping in before she had even awoken. It never lasted long, since he knew there would be breakfast waiting for him. He had gone for years eating only what he needed to survive, but Pippa gave him a new will to live, and he was hoping he could make his energy last longer, maybe enough even for a whole kiss, and not just a quick peck.
One morning, Pippa was waiting for him in the living room. "What are you all dressed up for, so early in the morning?" he questioned. She usually just wore her robe to breakfast, but today she had already had her coffee and was completely dressed.
"I have to go to into the city today, Griff. I'm almost out of fabric, I need groceries, and thought I might look around for a few new movies for us."
He came to stand close to her. Neither of them could feel the other, but it still made them happy to pretend. "Out of groceries? Didn't you just go shopping the other day?"
Pippa laughed. "No, dear Griffy Boy, it's been over a month! Good thing I have such a big refrigerator or I might have starved by now! I should be back before supper, so do you want me to get you a book out? Or are you just going to rest for the day?"
"Don't worry about me, I'll figure something out. You promise to be careful, okay? I'll see you soon. Hey, come here, real quick."
She stepped up to stand right in front of him.
He looked down into her eyes. "Since I won't see you for several hours, I should have plenty of time to rest, right?" Without waiting for her answer, he swooped down and kissed her, pressing his body against hers for a whole seven seconds before vanishing.
Smiling, Pippa went out the door, thinking of how much longer that had lasted than was usual. Maybe it was because he had just woken up. She didn't know, and she wasn't complaining in the slightest.
The grin didn't leave her face for most of the day. She went to the fabric store first, filling the passenger seat of the truck with bolts of cloth, spools of thread, and all kinds of extras she might need before stopping somewhere to eat. She had found a quaint little diner that wasn't very crowded and had a friendly look to it. That's where her good mood ended.
Two men sat at the counter, and kept looking over at her. She had a fear of people because of what had happened to her mother, and these two were making her very nervous. Abandoning her meal of chicken fried steak halfway through, she quickly paid her bill and fled with a container of leftovers, anxious to get back to the safety of her truck.
Forcing herself not to run away all the way home, she stopped at a video store on the way to the grocers, forcing herself to breathe and be calm, and found some old movies she thought Griffin would like, and then it was on to buy food. In the store, she saw the same two men again. Fighting off a panic attac
Terri asked how she liked the house, and Pippa brightened up. "Oh, I just love it! Everything is exactly the way I would have planned it myself, and the view is just beautiful. I don't even mind all the snow, it makes the hills look magical! Please, send my thanks and regards on to your mother for me?"
The young woman said she would, and was happy the house was working out for her. "I have to ask, though. I've heard the house is haunted, is that true?"
Pippa laughed. "Nah, they’re no ghosts around there!" She couldn't help the grin that spread across her face thinking about Griffin.
The two bid each other goodbye, and Pippa left, heading home. She was afraid she'd be later than she thought, as a surprise snow storm was moving in and already beginning to fill the once cleared roads back up with fresh white powder. She was thankful Griffin had talked her into having chains put on before winter had begun.
After loading the ice chest in the back of the truck, Pippa pulled away, never noticing the stares of the same two men.
Three hours later, she was putting groceries away and calling out to check if Griffin was home. There was no answer, so she ate her leftovers from lunch and waited for him. Being alone, she began to think about the two men and grew more and more nervous. She knew they were way back in town, but couldn't help herself. That's why she screamed when Griffin suddenly appeared in front of her as she was wandering around the secret room.
"Whoa, why are you so jumpy?"
She hugged a pillow to her chest, wishing it were him. "Oh, Griffin, it's you! Sorry." She told him about her day, and he tried to comfort her, telling her that they probably just hadn't seen a pretty new girl in town in a while. He was sure they meant no harm, and had her calm again soon.
Pippa told him she had bought some new movies for him, and they went to the living room to watch. They were only halfway into Blazing Saddles when headlights swept across the front windows.
"Um, are you expecting company, Pip Squeak?" Griffin asked.
She shook her head. "No, I don't who that could be! Maybe they just took a wrong turn somewhere?" Pippa got up and went to look through the glass in the front door, and made a sound akin to a whine.
Griffin appeared next to her in a heartbeat. "What's wrong, babe? What is it?"
Pointing to the door, Pippa whined again, a single tear streaking its way down her face. "That's them, Griffin! Those are the two men who were watching me!"
His mouth dropped open. "But, Pippa, how would they even know where you lived? It's been too long for them to have followed you!"
"I don't know, Griffin, I don't know! I'm afraid!" She was openly crying now, the night of her parents' murders replaying in her mind.
The men's boots hit the front porch, and they grinned at her through the window before kicking it open. The moment it was open, the smell of stale beer filled the mud room. "Hey there, pretty girl," the first man said. He was a tall, well-built man with blue eyes. He would have been handsome if it weren't for the air of creepiness that seemed to cling to him.
The other man, a shorter, rounded man with rosy cheeks and brown eyes stepped in. "Looky what we got here, Shawn!"
Both men were swaying slightly, and it was obvious that they were drunk. Griffin stepped in between them all. "You boys need to go on and get out of here, sleep this off and forget you ever saw her, understand?" he ordered in a menacing voice.
They looked at each other and laughed. "Forget that, man! We saw her first, fair and square! We done had everything in town, we need some fresh meat, and this little gal looks awfully fresh to us." The tall one waggled his eyebrows and pelvis at her.
Pippa balled up her fists. "Leave me alone! Get out of here and leave me the hell alone!" she screamed.
The tall one's smile faded. "You little bitch! No one talks to me that way! I'm gonna have ya, whether your warm and kickin' or cold and stiff, you hear me?!" He reached behind him and pulled a gun from his waist band.
"Whoa, Shawn, we don't need to go that far, do we?" the other man said, seeming to sober up and realize what was happening quickly.
Shawn whipped his head around to glare at his friend. "Shut up, Hank! I said we're gonna have, and I meant it! Now either you get over here to help me, or I'll shoot you dead, right along with her when I'm finished!"
Hank paled and said nothing, obviously too afraid to speak.
"You won't be laying a finger on her!" Griffin shouted. He hadn't noticed that Pippa had flattened herself against the wall behind him in her fear, moving around because she was too frightened to stay still, and was now an open target. Shawn had, though, was leering at her, following her every movement with his eyes. Hank, on the other hand, was trying to ease out the door.
Just then, the sound of sirens reached them all. The police were coming.
"I'm outta here!" Hank screamed before bolting outside and off the porch.
Shawn just kept staring at Pippa. "Well, I guess I won't have time to enjoy you fighting me, so I'm just gonna have to do this the quick way!" With that, he brought up his pistol and aimed it at her.
As his finger began to squeeze the trigger, Griffin leapt in the way and screamed, "NO!" The gun went off and Griffin crumpled to the floor. "I love you, Pip Squeak," he whispered, vanishing. Just then, another shot rang out, and Shawn fell.
A police officer came charging in with her gun drawn. "Ma'am, are you all right?"
Pippa was kneeling on the ground where Griffin had been. All that was left were a few drops his of blood. She nodded speechlessly to the officer.
Checking Shawn's pulse, another officer came to her and put a hand on her back. "Ma'am, I'm officer Coulter, I know you're pretty badly shaken up, but I need to take a statement from you. Is there another room we can go to until the coroner arrives?" His voice was gentle and soothing, and Pippa looked up gratefully into her rescuer’s face.
Nodding, she let him help her up and they walked to the living room. The officer noticed the blood on her finger tips, and asked if she was injured. All she could tell him was that it wasn't her blood. Then she gave her statement, telling the kind-eyed man everything that had happened. Well, almost everything. She left Griffin out of it, knowing that there would be no sane way to explain it. There were two things she didn't understand though; how did they know where to find her, and how did the police know to come?
Officer Coulter was able to explain that. Shawn was a known trouble maker, and had been in prison for rape and attempted murder. He had only been released two months prior, and had since been hanging around with Hank, bar hopping. Tonight, a few other patrons of The Thirsty Turtle had overheard the two getting too carried away, talking about the 'little blonde'. They had drawn Terri into a conversation and learned that she was the one who had moved into the old Owens place, and the drunken plotting had taken off from there. The more beer they downed, the worse the things were that they came up with became. Fearing the worst, these patrons had called the station to report it, and the police had headed her way as soon as said calls came in. They would have called her, but she only had an unlisted cell number, and Terri's mother hadn't been awake to answer their calls for information. Officer Wiederhold had shot and killed Shawn as soon as she heard the gunshot.
All Pippa could think was that it had come too late. She didn't know what kind of condition Griffin was in, or if he was even alive. She thanked the officers, who left after the coroner had arrived and taken the body away, telling her she needed to come in for a formal report as soon as possible. She agreed and thanked them profusely, then propped a chair against the front door to keep it closed. Shawn had busted the lock and doorknob during his forced entry.
Throughout the night,
When Griffin hadn't appeared for two weeks, Pippa began her search in earnest.