Fall of Darkness (The Chronicles of Darkness) Read Online Free Page A

said girl is really
after.”
    “Fine. You caught me. I have a date with
John tonight and I was sort of wondering, well, we were sort of wondering if
you would want to, sort of, maybe double with us?
    “You see John’s cousin is here visiting
and he can’t just leave him behind to fend for himself at his place. John says
he’s a really nice guy. Maybe you’ll like him, if he’s anywhere near as great
as John, then I know you will,” Lindsey anxiously rambled. She knew full well
how much Kate hated blind dates.
    “Oh, Linz, no,” Kate groaned. She
should’ve known.
    “Come on, Kate, when’s the last time you
went on a real date anyway?”
    Kate opened her mouth to protest. She’d
gone to a movie with Guy last weekend, but Lindsey beat her to it.
    “And I don’t mean with Guy. Hanging out
with your gay ex-boyfriend doesn’t qualify as a date.”
    Ah, Lindsey knew her too well.
    Guy had been Kate’s boyfriend all
through high school and she’d been crazy about him. Starting quarterback,
captain of the football team, and student body president, Guy was every girl’s
dream for boy next door. No one had been more surprised than Kate when her long
time steady came out of the closet in his graduation speech. Devastated, but
supportive to a fault, Kate had continued her close friendship with Guy on a
completely platonic level. Platonic meaning she hid from other potential
relationships behind theirs.
    Naturally, having some sort of reverse
sexual Midas touch did a number on her self confidence. After incessant teasing
that everything she touches turns to gay, she couldn’t help but feel a little
gun shy around the opposite sex. Who could blame her?
    “I don’t know, I think I feel a migraine
coming on…”
    “Pleeeeeaaaaase,” Lindsey begged,
dragging out the word. She pressed her lips into a pout and turned sad puppy
dog eyes on Kate, a clear indication of how desperate she was.
    “If you don’t go, I don’t get to go out
with John tonight,” Lindsey whined. She waited expectantly for Kate’s answer,
knowing she would cave to the greater good, eventually.
                “I’ll
have to consult my schedule,” Kate stalled. Snagging her planner from the side
of the couch, she flipped open to that day, silently praying she had some
important engagement she’d forgotten about. A pap smear, mole removal, anything.
                Lindsey
waited, watching her expectantly.
                “Yes!”
Kate cheered, punching the air. “Oh, I mean… sorry, Linz. I traded nights with
Heidi. I have to work tonight,” Kate told her, trying to inject just enough regret
into her voice. Inside, her heart performed cartwheels. Blind dates ranked
pretty high on her list of things she loathed, right up there with cleaning the
fridge and undergoing root canals.
                “Fine.
Work yourself to death,” Lindsey pouted. “You’ll regret it. This guy could be
the man of your dreams and you passed on meeting him.”
                Kate
couldn’t help but picture the last overweight, prematurely balding gravedigger
with a speech impediment Lindsey had set her up with.
                “I’ll
take my chances.”

 
     
    Chapter
3
     
     
    Kate rounded into the parking lot of the
hospital and began the relentless search for a stall. One of the jerk-off administrators
had decided close and convenient parking should be reserved for patient use
only, so staff parking on the outskirts of the main lot became a hot commodity.
After three full circles, she glanced at her watch and sighed in defeat, making
her way to the farthest lot from the building.
    It was a good ten minute walk to the
entrance, but was guaranteed to have plenty of open stalls left. It was also
affectionately nicknamed ‘the rape lot’ by hospital staff, due to its poor
lighting and remote location. That same brilliant administrator kept promising
security detail and street lights for the far