Frankenstein In Love Read online

  When they pulled up to the theater, Kirk stretched his neck and gazed up at the giant marquee announcing Face in the Shadows. He was amazed when he saw two pictures up above the marquee. One showed a creature in a dark corner looking as if he were going to grab the unsuspecting heroine while she had her back to him trying to get away. The other one showed the heroine in the arms of the creature, gazing up at him with fearful eyes as his scarred face leaned over her. It was so amazing, Kirk couldn’t believe it. There were people all over the streets, search lights moved erratically, casting penetrating lights into the sky and across the twinkling city. A line of cars were pulling up at the curb, but the driver of the limousine didn’t get in the line, instead he pulled off into a side alley, and up in front of a stage entrance.

  “What are we doing here?” Kirk asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be in front with the other cars?”

  The chauffeur turned around. “No, sir, the studio is trying to maintain the surprise element of your appearance. They don’t want anyone to see you until you come out on stage.”

  “Oh, I see.”

  The chauffeur got out and opened Kirk’s door, and Kirk turned to take Tiffany’s arm, but she pulled back. “I’m sorry, Kirk, but we have to leave each other here. The chauffeur is going to drive me around to the front.” She saw his surprise. “I’m sorry, darling, but they’re expecting me for an interview.”

  “I wish you’d told me.”

  “I thought you knew. They were supposed to tell you.”

  “Well, they didn’t,” Kirk said impatiently.

  At that moment the stage door opened and Serena Rush came out and ran down the steps to where Kirk was. “There you are.”

  Kirk gazed down at her, puzzled.

  Serena looked up at him admiringly. “My, you’re a big one, aren’t you?” She pulled on his arm, and as he allowed himself to be hurried along, he gazed back at Tiffany, watching her as she lifted her hands and shrugged. “Sorry,” he heard her call out. With a resigned look, he allowed himself to be pulled up the stairs in the firm grasp of the happy publisher.

  *

  While Serena got Kirk settled in their private box, Tiffany’s limo pulled up in front of the theater. As she stepped out, the announcer called out her name, and the crowd went wild. Cameras flashed, and fans leaned over the roped off boundaries trying to touch her. She walked along the red carpet up to the man holding the microphone. Standing there to receive her was Tim Chase, the actor playing Kirk in the movie. It had been arranged for them to be interviewed, and walk in together. They smiled and said hello, and the announcer began asking her questions.

  “Ms. Lovelace, as you can see, the fans are going absolutely wild. It must feel good to have your book made into a major motion picture that has received this much acclaim.”

  “Yes, it does,” Tiffany said with her usual sexy charm. “Sometimes I think I’m dreaming. I used to have a little alarm clock that woke me up every time I began having a good dream.” She shrugged. “I keep expecting it to go off.”

  “Ms. Lovelace, speaking of dreams, when you moved down to the little town of Mystic Island, New Jersey, did you ever in your wildest imagination think you would find the story that would literally make your career?”

  “I certainly didn’t. I was just looking for a remote little place to do my work. My writer’s curiosity has always put me in situations that I wouldn’t have been in ordinarily, and that’s what happened in this case.”

  The announcer smiled at her answer, and put the microphone up to Tim’s mouth. “Tim, when you found out you had been picked for the part of Kirk Kessler, the world famous Mystery Man, what went through your mind?”

  “Well, Dan, as you know, a lot of actors went after this part. But when my agent called me with the news that I was the lucky one, I went wild, man. When I finally calmed down, I looked back over my career and thought about all the struggles actors have to go through to get where I am today. It’s just hard to believe that I’m one of those that actually made it. Let me tell you, it’s a fantastic high.”

  “I hear there may be an Oscar out there for you.”

  “Hey, I hope so. I’m ready for it.”

  He turned back to Tiffany. “Ms. Lovelace, there’s talk that you and your Mystery Man may get married. Is there any truth to that?”

  “Very definitely. Next week, to be exact.”

  “Where?”

  Tiffany laughed. “Sorry, but I can’t give out that information. No press allowed.”

  A few of them shouted, “Boo!

  “Sorry, guys,” Tiffany replied. “This is a private affair—” She winked suggestively. “With the emphasis on affair.”

  When the interview ended, and it was time for both Tiffany and Tim Chase to walk in, they lingered for a moment to wave at the fans while allowing their photos to be taken a few more times. Once inside, Tiffany separated herself from Tim and went backstage to be with Kirk. Both she and Kirk had insisted on a private booth for the showing, and when she walked in she saw Serena hanging all over Kirk. Kirk seemed to be struggling, but was too much of a gentleman to push her away. When Tiffany cleared her throat to announce her presence, Serena turned around and begrudgingly pulled away from him. Kirk looked relieved.

  Tiffany sat down beside Kirk, but immediately following, an expensive bottle of champagne was brought in by the management. They toasted the success of the film just as the stage curtain began lifting, revealing a giant white screen. All at once, a strong male voice hidden within the wings began speaking into a microphone, echoing throughout the theater from one corner to the other.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pride that Mann’s Chinese Theater brings you the opening night of the film, Face in the Shadows. The movie event you are about to see has been long-awaited throughout the country and around the world. As the lights dim, and the curtains rise, and the film bursts into flaming color, the lives of Tiffany Lovelace and the Kessler family will at last be made public. The long-kept secret of the misty little bluff called Cat’s Paw will finally be known. From the very first day Tiffany Lovelace arrived in the little town of Mystic Island, New Jersey, to the day Mystery Man, Kirk Kessler, rises up from his self-imposed prison, this film will tug at your heart. As you sit and watch the struggles of a young man trying to get his life back, yet finds himself being constantly lied to and manipulated by a jealous brother, your hearts will ache. Tiffany Lovelace fights against this the only way she knows how…as a woman. And what started out as nothing more than curiosity, turns into a blockbuster film and true love. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Hollywood’s version of the widely-acclaimed novel by Tiffany Lovelace…Face in the Shadows.”

  *

  Gradually, the lights dimmed, the music swelled, and the film began unfurling, scene by scene. Tiffany and Kirk sat there gazing at the re-creation of the mist-shrouded little country road leading to the mansion at Cat’s Paw. Kirk squeezed Tiffany’s hand as he watched his life being flashed over a screen. He flinched when he saw the automobile accident that killed his parents. The studio’s makeup man did an excellent job of creating the scars that marred Kirk’s handsome face, and it was all too real when Kirk saw the scarred face of the young actor gazing up into a shimmering moonlight, praying a prayer that he didn’t think he was good enough to pray. He felt the tears the actor shed falling down through the scars, and Kirk’s eyes became misty. He could feel the agony once again as he struggled through the suicide scene in the dark dungeon. The wind whistled and moaned as the hurricane hit once again, and he watched while the young actress was being buried beneath the debris. He saw the cruel manipulations of the actor who played Quinn, and again heard his painful insults.

  Monster! Beast! Frankenstein!

  And when the scene in front of the fireplace was re-enacted, a gasp caught in Kirk’s throat. He tried to watch, but finally jerked his head away from the screen.

  *

  Tiffany saw the tears
swimming in his eyes, and grabbed his hand and held it throughout the rest of the film. She knew he was having a hard time painfully reliving those dark times once again.

  Since Tiffany had finished the book while Kirk was having his surgery done, she’d written an update, filling the studio in on what had happened during the last few weeks of his stay in the hospital, which included the seduction, the thrashing of the High Coast Café, and the disappearance of Quinn.

  The studio inserted the scenes in, being sure to give the last scene the drama it deserved. It was the scene in which Kirk finally realized he was a new man. The bandages had come off, the sutures and bruising were minimal, and the young actor sat silently with his head bowed, as if in fear. Since there was no dialogue in this scene, the music told what the young man was feeling inside. It was intense at first, showing fear, but as the young actor gradually lifted his face toward the camera, the music became excited, inflamed. When he saw his reflection in the mirror, the music swelled, and the young actor’s gaze widened, revealing surprise at his perfect face. As if his movements were being orchestrated by the music, the young man gradually lifted his hands, and with tears swimming in his unbelieving eyes, he felt the smoothness of his perfect face. The music turned triumphant when he smiled, and those pent-up tears began to course down his cheeks. At that glorious moment, the credits began rolling and the audience was propelled to their feet, cheering through their muffled sobs. Ironically, the worst years of Kirk Kessler’s life—had brought the house down.

  All at once several studio people came rushing into the booth and escorted Kirk and Tiffany toward the stage. As they stood in the wings, Kirk nervously hung onto Tiffany’s hand.

  The announcer turned to Tiffany and Kirk as his jacket was being changed, and explained the procedure. “Ms. Lovelace, I’ll announce you first. You know, as the author. You’ll come out and say a few words, and next we’ll present the long-awaited Mystery Man.”

  He looked at each of them to make sure they understood. Everything seemed to be in order, so he turned and walked into the light that glittered on the shining black stage. Lifting up his arms, he tried to quiet the audience while his voice echoed throughout the theater. “Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention?” He paused, waiting for the applause to die down, and said again, “Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please. We have a surprise for you tonight, and as part of that surprise we have with us the woman that is known to many of you only through her superb novels. She is also the author of the excellent film you have seen here tonight, so without further ado—” He lifted his hands out toward the wings, brought the microphone up a little closer to his mouth, and with his best announcer’s voice, called out, “Here she is, Hollywood, say hello to Ms. Tiffany Lovelace!” With his arm still lifted, he began backing up, giving the stage over to Tiffany while she walked out, her heels clicking on the wide stage.

  Tiffany waved at the audience as she walked, giving the appearance of being full of confidence. The crowd cheered wildly as she took the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for your wonderful reception. And I want to thank the studio for its wonderful presentation of the film. The authentic look and feel of the film was incredible. In watching it, I actually got the feeling of being back there and living it all over again. I want to thank Tim Chase for doing such a fantastic job of portraying Kirk Kessler. And of course I want to thank all the other actors who worked very hard on this film. They all did an outstanding job, as did the lovely young actress who portrayed that outrageous novelist, Tiffany Lovelace.”

  The audience laughed.

  “When I began writing this book, I never expected anything like this, and I’m absolutely overwhelmed at your response. Again, let me say thank you, and assure you it’s from the very depth of my heart.” With a wave and a smile, Tiffany gave up the microphone to the announcer and the crowd cheered. She stepped back as the announcer began speaking again.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I spoke earlier of a surprise.” He paused, letting the expectations build. When there came a hush all over the theater, the audience waiting for his next words, all at once an unexpected rise of his voice sounded, and, the announcer’s smooth, booming voice roared into the microphone.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the face that Tiffany Lovelace brought out of the shadows, the authentic mystery man himself…Mr. Kirk Kessler!”

  *

  Everyone stood up and cheered while peering expectantly toward the wings. Gradually, from within the shadowy darkness, Kirk appeared. He walked leisurely toward the microphone while the crowd screamed and shouted. Camcorders rolled, cameras flashed, whistles rang out, and yells bombarded the stage. People ran out into the aisles and got up as close to the stage as they could. In a very humble and unassuming way, Kirk began speaking into the microphone in lazy, husky accents.

  “I’d just like to thank everyone for their generous applause. I’m just a little surprised, though. I mean, the studio did such a good job with the film, I, along with everyone else in the theater, was just sittin’ up there wonderin’ how that poor guy was gonna get out of that basement.” Everyone laughed, and watched closely. “Now, just so none of you out there go off thinkin’ I’m some kind of stupe that don’t have a clue as to what’s goin’ on, let me assure you not for one minute did I not know that that poor guy up there was me. I lived every tortured second in that re-created darkness, only for me it was the real thing. And to be truthful, I didn’t think I’d ever get out.” All at once he became serious and gazed out on the audience with a solemn look on his face. “I don’t know how many of you believe in God. I’m not even sure I do, or ever did, but if there is someone up there, I do know one thing about Him.” Hearing the hush of the audience hanging onto to his every word, he gazed down into Tiffany’s tearful, but beautiful eyes and said with a deep, husky passion, “He sure as hell knows how to answer a prayer.”

  *

  Behind Tiffany’s smile, she was remembering the doubts she’d had in writing Kirk’s story. In every one of her books was a handsome hero that strutted across the searing pages of her novels, making wild passionate love to her heroines. But this time she’d broken the rules. She’d given her fans a scarred up monster—a hulking Frankenstein who stayed buried in the recesses of an old mansion—an ugly deformed brute who lurked mysteriously in midnight shadows—a growling, hulking beast that no woman would have chosen over Quinn. For a romance novelist like her, it was taking quite a chance, but somehow she’d done it.

  Now, as she continued gazing into the eyes that had once stared out at her from within the draping shadows of a dark basement, she parted her lips to receive his kiss.

  Okay, she thought as the applause thundered around them, maybe it’s true. Maybe I am guilty of becoming infatuated with my paper heroes just like the media says.

  But not this time.

  When she saw the way the torment in his eyes had turned to tenderness and the way his face had been miraculously transformed from a mass of puckering scars into movie idol perfection, she knew the truth—infatuation, hell.

  This time—it was love.

  Epilogue

  A dark figure lay quietly recalling a fire that was rapidly enveloping a bedroom, gaining on him as he fought it. He remembered a burst of flames surging toward him, charring his face, disfiguring him forever. The pain was unbearable, and when the black smoke got into his lungs, he couldn’t breathe.

  After that—darkness.

  Later, he woke up in the scorched bedroom looking around, wondering why he hadn’t been burned alive by the wild fire that had raced through only minutes before. He noticed that Tiffany was gone, and ran through the mansion calling out wildly.

  “Tiffany! Tiffany!” His head whirled as he searched. “Is anyone here?”

  As he happened to run by a mirror, he glimpsed his face, and stopped abruptly. His hands flew up and touched its deformed ugliness. “My God, my face. It’s been burned to a
crisp! I’m a monster, a freak!” All at once, he let out a tormented cry, ran from the mansion, and disappeared into the darkness—into hell.

  The reflection that had looked back at him was that of a perfect face, an incredibly handsome face, because there had been no fire, only the results of a small vial filled with a potion that resembled water. The old widow, in her wisdom, had given him the ability to see what was in his heart, so when he saw himself in the mirror he didn’t see what was on the outside, he saw what was on the inside—a monster.

  * * * *

  Today, if anyone visiting the little town of Mystic Island wanted to find an unusual tourist attraction, they would have to look no further than the sign at the beginning of a little country road that in the past year has had something added to it—

  Entrance to Cat’s Paw where Moon Amber still stands, the one-time home of the famous Mystery Man.

  The old Frankenstein mansion sits empty now, and some say it’s haunted.

  But they’re wrong.

  Down in the basement you might see dusty linens, cobwebs, and the neglected remnants of someone that used to live there—but no ghosts.

  You might see evidence of kids crawling in and out the basement window looking at the place where the Mystery Man used to live—but no ghosts.

  You might see a slice of moonlight that once framed a pair of tormented eyes—but no ghosts.

  The ghost is the darkly handsome Quinn Kessler who roams the streets of Mystic Island under the cover of darkness. He forages for food, nightly. His clothes are ragged, his eyes have a lost look in them, yet beneath the bearded shadow that covers half his face, he appears extremely handsome. Once he has what he needs, he winds through the dark streets and alleyways, hurriedly retreating into his lighthouse where the mirrors are covered because of what he thinks a fire has done to his face.

  He hurriedly gulps the food down while he huddles in a corner, living his life as a Frankenstein—a beast—a monster.