Chapter 5 – Just a Nightmare
Matthias started to lunge at Cooper but the lanky brown haired man intersected the fast demon. He flung some sort of liquid at Matthias, which had an acid effect on him. Matthias recoiled then tried again only to have more of the clear liquid thrown on him. Cooper wasn’t going to wait around to find out what was going on. Scrambling to his feet, Cooper dashed down the hallway the marble floors smacking with the sound of his shoes.
Arriving at the lower level, Cooper found Parker overlooking the Getty Center garden sipping a glass of red wine. The beautiful modern garden with manicured plants and a fountain. “Parker, we need to go now,” Cooper urged.
“I just sat down.” Parker pointed out taking another slow sip of his wine. He crossed his legs and watched the sunset start to dip past the horizon.
“Parker, now!” Cooper grabbed Parker’s arm and yanked it causing him to almost spill his wine.
“Cooper!” Parker put his almost empty glass down and glared at his friend. “What is the rush?”
“I just realized I forgot something.” Cooper lied and glanced over his shoulder.
“Okay, okay,” Parker finished his wine and stood up. “Don’t walk so fast.” Parker pressured as the sun disappeared and magic hour began. The two entered the museum walking towards the entrance. As they proceeded, the man from earlier appeared from around the corner.
“You” The man pointed.
“Run,” Cooper grabbed Parker’s hand and the two dashed towards the tram as it loaded. The tall man dashed after them his long scruffy brown hair blowing back as he ran.
Running out through the glass entrance door of the museum, clutching Parker’s hand, the two got onto the tram as the doors slid shut. They had gotten away from him. Cooper watched as the tram pulled away from the stop and moved down the hill.
“What was that all about?” Parker inquired. “He’s kind of cute.”
***
Back at Cooper’s studio in Silverlake, Cooper got inside and Parker followed. The sun had set and Parker was eager to go out. “So that was one of your exes?” Parker asked again as they entered. The dishes in the sink were still unwashed and Kayla’s empty glasses were all over the counter.
“Yeah, do you want something to drink?” Cooper tried to change the conversation and moved into the kitchen. Parker followed him and leaned in the doorway.
“He was cute, why’d you break up?” Parker moved over to the fridge and reached to the top pulling down an unopened bottle of white wine and handed it to Cooper as he started to wash the dishes.
“Umm,” Cooper continued. He finished with two small cups and dried them with a cloth. He opened a drawer and handed parker a corkscrew.
“Is that why you broke up with that gorgeous hunk Tobalt?” Parker popped the cork out of the wine bottle, “just issues?”
“Who said we broke up?” Cooper held out the two glasses and Parker filled them then motioned towards the table.
“I don’t know,” Parker added and sat down at the messy table. “You seem all depressed and he’s not around?” Taking a sip of wine he noticed that Cooper wasn’t buying it. “Okay, Kayla told me when we were out,” Parker noticed the shocked expression on Cooper’s face and added on, “she wanted to make sure that we were all taking care of you.”
Copper rolled his eyes at the statement. Drinking some wine he shook his head, “long story short he picked his friend, erm career, or I guess both over me.”
“Whatever,” Parker took another sip. “Find someone else.”
“You make it sound easy.” Cooper finished his glass and poured some more wine in. The clear-ish yellow liquid filled his cup.
“Well, you seem to have gotten over from that guy at the museum.” Parker pointed out.
“I suppose.” Cooper didn’t like lying to his friends especially when the lies crossed over to his life.
“Come on out tonight with Jake and I?” Parker turned to his iPhone screen more out of habit than anything else. “He asked if you were coming.” Parker looked back up to Cooper. “Are you sure you’re over him?”
***
Opting to stay in, Cooper cleaned up Kayla’s mess in the kitchen and consolidated all her clothes into one pile. After he looked at the clock he realized it was still early but wanted to sleep. Lying in bed, Cooper looked up at the ceiling and turned off the light.
Rolling in his bed, someone was next to him. Reaching around him. Holding him down. Cooper tried to struggle free and scream but his body was too weak and he couldn’t make a sound. The dark figure growled and kissed his neck and moved down his body. Down his chest, soft pecks, sweet soft pecks, tugging at Cooper’s boxers.
The cloth moved down exposing himself to the figure. Reaching out to grab it, the long toned arm of the man reached out and held Cooper’s hand. The figure’s mouth wrapped around the shaft and Cooper let out a moan. Pleasure started to surge through his body and he felt himself come closer and closer to climax. His body shook and he felt himself come. The figure swallowed and then started to kiss Cooper’s pelvic bone. Small kissed continued up his chest and stopped on his neck. Now, Cooper’s eyes were adjusted to the darkness and he knew who the figure was – Damian.
Cooper reached out to his the man in the darkness and screamed sitting up in bed. In a cold sweat, Cooper panted, all of it was a dream. He looked over and Kayla sat up awake.
“Coopy, you okay?” Kayla whispered her voice still sleepy. “You were tossing and turning something nasty.”
“Yeah, I…it was just a nightmare.” Cooper whispered back and glanced at the clock. It was three in the morning.
“Sorry,” Kayla, now talking in a normal voice, “I noticed you cleaned the place. I know I’m a crap roommate. I’m still looking for a cheep place.”
“Actually,” Cooper shifted in his bed sheets. “I’m really glad you’re here.” Cooper shifted in the darkness and moved his sheets off of his hot body. Even though it was a dream it brought back all the horrible memories of that night. “How was your night out with Gerome?”
“Fun, he’s not crazy.” Kayla stressed and laughed. “I told you I’d be fine.”
“No bites anywhere?” Cooper threw out.
“Cooper Morris, I do not share those kinds of things outside of the bedroom.” Kayla shook her head in the dark and Cooper could make out her long blond hair flipping back and forth. She lay back down and pulled the sheets over her.
“So you’re sleeping with him?” Cooper inquired and layback down too not wanting to close his eyes for fear that Damian would come back in his dreams.
“He has proposed it,” Kayla laughed with a yawn. “But as a good southern lady I withdrew.”
Cooper yawned and said a prayer in his mind, falling asleep before he could finish it.
***
The following afternoon was a hot one and the Los Angeles fog felt thicker than usual. At work Cooper finished helping a customer and noticed Will returned from his lunch break holding an Iced Coffee from Starbucks. Placing his drink on the counter Will had a glow about him. He bit his lip and tittered back and fourth on his feet. Cooper could tell that he wanted him to ask him a question.
“What’s up?” Cooper laughed putting the receipt from his sale in the cash register.
“Travis came over last night and let’s just say the sex was,” Will laughed and bit his lip again. Cooper got the message but his mind instantly filled with thoughts of his dream. He cringed. Will took note of this and asked, “Let me guess, you haven’t gotten any?”
“Nope,” Cooper looked at Will. “I’m not really looking for it right now. I think I figured out who I’m getting followed by.” Cooper tapped his hand on the glass counter top.
“Who?” Will got that same excited look in his eyes that he had the last time Cooper brought up the mystery. “Is it someone from that religious cult?” Picking up his Starbuck’s cup and put his lips around the straw.
“No, I think it’s a demon from that nightclub and this other guy.” Cooper pursed his lips in thought.
“Other guy, really descriptive,” Will laughed his straw still in his mouth.
“I don’t know what to do.”
“Leave town.” Will threw out and finished his iced tea. He tossed it to the trashcan behind the counter but missed it. “Too bad you can’t just go into the club like they do in the movies and just shoot them up,” Will noticed a curious look on Cooper’s face, “Cooper, no… you can’t”
“Do you want to come with me?” Cooper moved over to the door and looked outside. “We should close up early.”
“Cooper, that’s suicide.” Will whispered shaking his head.
“I can’t just sit here!” He shouted then pulled his voice back. He shouldn’t shout at will “What if it kills Kayla?”
Will glanced at his watch, “I can’t go, I can’t get involved in that stuff. “ Will looked pained at the response but stood back. “Just be safe okay.”
***
Pulling up outside of the nightclub Fire, there was even a short line in the afternoon. Opening the car door he gulped, Cooper walked over in the beating Los Angles sun down the stairs to the entrance. As he approached the door his mind flickered back to the warning his psychologist Dr. Hillenbaum gave him.
Passing by the people, he moved to the front, to the man checking them in. It was Xander, an African-American demon with a shaved head, glanced up at Cooper and smirked. Xander remembered him from the back room incident a few nights prior.
“I want to talk to” Cooper couldn’t remember the woman’s name, she never said it, “… the redhead.”
“Siskin, her name is Siskin.” Xander mocked, “Heh, I’m going to tell her you didn’t know her name.”
Cooper shrugged and pressed, “Just let me in.”
“Good thing, she put your name on the list.” Xander nodded and held his hand out motioning Cooper past. “She’ll be waiting for you at the bar.”
Stepping into the cool air-conditioned club, one couldn’t tell that it was the middle of the afternoon. The chic club with its speakeasy type feel looked the same, but less crowded, then the night that Jake and he came. Walking over to the bar, Cooper took a seat and the same handsome male bartender came over offering a free drink.
“He doesn’t want one,” Siskin whispered into Cooper’s ear. She gave off a seductive smile and dragged her hand across Cooper’s shoulder. Her lips were red with lipstick and red curls bounced atop her head. “What brings you back? I am glad you’re back by the way.”
“Matthias,” Cooper blurted out, “He’s trying to kill me.”
“Really?” Siskin smiled as the bartender brought her a cocktail. It was red in a martini glass. “Well, we will have to put a stop to that rogue demon won’t we?”
“Just like that?” Cooper tilted his head, surprised how easy this task was. Looking at the female demon’s glass. The bartender had just put it down and it was already empty.
“I’m not unreasonable. You help me and I help you.” Siskin stood up and started back towards the office. “I’ll send someone.”
Cooper reached out and grabbed her wrist. “What do you want from me?
Siskin turned back to Cooper and leaned in to kiss his cheek lightly. “Don’t worry about that,” she whispered into his ear.
“I’m curious,” Cooper continued letting go of her wrist. “Why do you own a bar like this?” He looked around and there looked to be more people inside now.
“Money, living the American Dream my friend.” She walked away her red suede pumps moving across the floor. “You know you’re way out.”
Leaving the club Fire, Cooper returned to his car and sat in turning it on. The clock revealed an hour had past. He’d blacked out again and he had no idea what he had done.
***
The restaurant Emily Lee worked at was a smaller one, it was fashionable yet cheap, and it was where Cooper was meeting his friends for dinner that night. Arriving at the restaurant, the group sat on the patio. Their waitress and friend, Emily Lee, brought them glasses of water with lemon.
“I am up for the promotion.” Parker toasted and clicked his glass with his friends.
“I know you’ll get it. If only Melissa was here with us.” Caitlyn pointed out as she clinked her glass and took a sip. “I don’t know about all of you but I could you a stiffer drink.”
“Woohoo!” Kayla shouted and flipped open the menu to the alcohol section.
“Aren’t you driving home Caitlyn?” Cooper pointed out.
“Don’t be such a pussy.” Jake eyed Cooper from across the table and winked at him. “One drink won’t hurt.”
Unfortunately, Parker caught this wink and intersected Jake’s interest. “What are you going to order?” Parker leaned closer to Jake so their shoulders touched.
“The same thing I always do.” Jake answered, uninterested.
“Excuse me,” Kayla stood up and grabbed her purse. “I need to use the little girls room.”
Emily came back to the table and pointed to the back of the restaurant. Kayla nodded and left the table. Placing a plate of toasted bread with tomato and cheese on them, Emily spoke up. “There’s carbs in this so you might not want it,” Emily nudged Caitlyn.
“Hah hah,” Caitlyn acknowledged and reached for one of the appetizers.
Cooper stood up and moved past the table, “I’ll be right back,” he mentioned. Walking to the back of the restaurant, Cooper arrived at the restroom. The door exiting the back of the restaurant swung shut. Kayla’s shoe rested in front of it. Cooper picked up the pink heel and his heart started to race. Swinging open the back door, Cooper stepped into an alleyway behind the restaurant. Kayla stood, with only one shoe on, facing him, her mascara running. She’d been crying.
“Kayla, what happened?” Cooper approached the normally vibrant girl.
Then, in a barely audible fearful whisper, she replied, “it’s a trap.”