Chapter 1 Birthday Shivers

The warm and soothing sound of country music filled a brightly lit bedroom. A glass of water vibrated as the headboard rocked. It bounced up and down until it fell down to the cream white carpet—wetting it with its content. The ceiling fan spun slowly while the couple in the bed went at it in between the sheets.

"Oh God, Matt I am almost there!" the woman screamed.

She sank her nails in Matt's chocolate sweaty back. As his thrusts increased, she cupped the back of his head and moaned in his ear. Matt held her leg as he continued slamming into her—making her feel his strength as she moaned uncontrollably. He threw his head back and let out a moan of his own as he climaxed. He did not stop until he filled her with everything he had.

His tensed muscles slowly relaxed, and he got off of her. She rested her chin on his tattooed chest; smiling at him with cherry lips that went exceptionally well with the freckles on her cheeks. Matt tucked her almost white hair behind her ear and gave her a peck on her chin. Her gray eyes twinkled as she lovingly gazed into his light brown eyes.

"What did I do to deserve a sweetheart like you?" Matt asked her and his question was met with a laugh. "What?" he giggled back.

"You ask me that every day." she sweetly rolled her eyes at him.

She got off Matt and pulled a drawer open. Matt couldn't wipe the grin off his face as he watched her light a cigarette. With her face up and her eyes closed, she puffed out the smoke. Matt hugged a pillow, and admired her master piece of a body.

Her breasts were neither too big nor too small. They hang balanced in all their firmness. Matt rubbed his strong jaw and grinned at how hard her pink nipples were. His eyes trailed the griffin tattoo between her breasts.

The beauty slapped her long whitish hair back and exposed the skull tattoo on her arm. Her skin was as white as snow but the sweat on it made it even sexier. Matt strongly believed that her slender body and long legs would make any man lose his mind.

His enchantress caught him staring, and she smiled at him exposing her only dimple on the left side of her cheek.

"You want a smoke too?" she asked him.

"Actually, I was wondering if we could celebrate your birthday this year." Matt replied and sat up.

His words brought forth a scowl. "I thought I made it clear to you that I don't celebrate my birthday." she vehemently reminded him and took an aggressive pull of her cigarette.

Matt sighed at her, "Ruth, come on, don't be like that. It is your birthday." he softly insisted.

Ruth dismissively waved her hand at him irritated, "I don't want to talk about this, Matt. You will never understand so just leave it be."

Matt frowned at her response. His manly brows narrowed down and touched each other as he looked at Ruth put out her cigarette on the ash tray.

"We have been together for four years and not once have you told me the reason why you don't celebrate your birthday." he started again.

"Matt, you are still talking about this?" Ruth blurted out annoyed.

Matt raised his hands up in surrender. "Okay, I am done." he said in defeat. "For now anyway." he added, and she shot a glare at him.

Ruth walked out of bed and went to turn off the light. The light outside, however, made it possible for Matt to watch her walk back in all her nakedness as he pondered on the reason behind her avoiding her birthday.

Ruth set the alarm for 5 a.m. and got into the covers. Matt wrapped his huge arms around her, and she snugged close to him.

"We are going to see your family tomorrow." Matt whispered into her ear.

"Are you nervous?" Ruth softly asked him, this time her voice was warm.

"A little," Matt admitted with a soft giggle.

"Well, I am excited to introduce you to everyone. I must warn you about my dad, though." Ruth cautioned, and Matt kissed her cheek.

"It's all right, he won't be the first racist I will ever encounter." he assured her with another kiss.

"Matt -" she started, but he put his finger to her soft lips.

"Get some rest." he admonished with a smile and held her closer.

****

Ruth slowly opened her eyes in the middle of the night. Matt, who was fast asleep, still had her in his arms. Ruth's sleepy gaze set on the alarm clock—it was 2:50 a.m. She quietly got out of bed in the solace of a bedsheet.

Ruth stood at the bathroom door and hit the light switch. Her blood turned cold at the continued darkness in the room. She swallowed hard and shakily looked back at Matt who had turned his back and felt a little safe.

Ruth sucked in some air and went into the bathroom. She deliberately chose to leave the door open and quickly sat on the toilet. As she relieved herself, she ignored the soreness she felt because of Matt. The eerie silence was suffocating and the darkness did not help to calm her nerves. Her eyes reeled around uncontrollably while her heart thumped.

The toilet suddenly flushed, and she sprung off of it like it was suddenly crawling with ants. Because she didn't finish, Ruth wet herself a little as she combed the hair off her face with her fingers. She stared at the toilet her with eyes wide. Ruth whimpered at the rumbling noise it made as the water inside twirled against the toilet bowl.

Ruth took short breaths and set her hand on her head. She felt something cold brush up against her skin and turned back with a sharp scream. The sight of no one terrified her even more. Ruth opted to run out of the bathroom but tripped on the bedsheet and fell hard to the cold tiled floor.

The light came on. Hands appeared and grabbed her. Ruth let out an ear screeching scream.

"I don't belong to you! Why can't you leave me alone!?" she shrieked as she pulled herself back but the hands had a firm hold on her.

"Ruth! Babe, it's me! It's me!" she heard a familiar voice say.

Ruth faced up and met Matt’s widened eyes. She swallowed hard and dropped her gaze ashamed. Matt raised a brow at her trembling. His eyes scanned the bathroom for anyone or anything that could have frightened her but there was no one and nothing.

“Babe,” he barely uttered but got nothing but heavily breathing as a response.

Matt her off the floor. Together, they slowly made their way back to the bed. Matt waited for Ruth to climb onto the bed and then covered her. He then slipped into the covers as well. Ruth was still shaking, so he held her in his arms. She buried her face in his chest and Matt held her tighter.

"It's okay," he cooed.

"I am not his." she whispered to his surprise.

"What are you talking about?" he gently asked.

"I am not his." she whispered again and closed her eyes.

Matt kept her close feeling confused. He decided to stay awake to monitor her. In all the years that he knew Ruth, he noticed that she had an odd behavior every time her birthday was close.

Her family should know why she gets like this. I must find a way to get answers from them. Matt resolved.

****

An hour went by and Matt snoozed off. The bathroom door silently opened on its own. The light flickered violently. A shadowy figure with no form appeared in the doorway. It growled at Matt and Ruth.

The smoky silhouette got into the bedroom. It blocked off the light outside and spread further darkness as it drew closer to the bed. In mere seconds, everything in the room but the bed was hidden away in the shadow.

A dark manlike hand emerged from it. Its terrible claws were long and broken. A croaking sound echoed as it drew closer to Ruth with its long and dry fingers spread apart. Wind gently blew Ruth's hair as the distance narrowed. It was just about to touch her when she suddenly whined in her sleep.

Matt held her tighter. He didn't open his eyes but continued to sleep. The hand shifted to Matt's hand. Its claw drew closer to Matt's skin while he snored. It got closer and closer and when it was close enough… it poked him.

Matt shot his eyes open and slightly lifted his head up. He turned confused and with his blurry gaze, he looked around. He saw nothing out of the ordinary in the room. His eyes shifted to the lit bathroom.

He rubbed on his head puzzled because he was more than sure that he turned the light off and closed the door before getting into bed. Ruth put her hand over his waist, and he turned his attention back to her; completely forgetting about the strangeness in the bathroom.