Wings

by Sandra R Neeley

  “Of course, Sire,” Tyrisey answered, stepping across the threshold and into Rufussian’s private quarters. He turned his nose up at the young females lying about Rufussian’s home, all in different stages of dress and undress, waiting for his attentions. More than a few smiled seductively at him, and he snarled warningly at them.

  Rufussian chuckled. “Boy, you’d best be a bit nicer to the females if you hope for companionship someday.”

  “I do not want, nor do I need their type of companionship. It is a weakness I do not harbor.”

  “You will need to create your own heirs one day. Perhaps one of these females will bear your whelp.”

  Tyrisey looked around at each of them. They were all like him. Black or Grey leathery skin, though not as furred as he was. Males tended to be more furred. Their eyes were black or amber, very slight, delicate wings. Smaller in stature than the Chireop males. And all of them, smaller than he. He had human blood in him. His bones were bigger, his height taller, his eyes larger, his nose not quite so flat, though it was still upturned like the smaller bats the world knew.

  “My female will have hair like flames of fire. Her skin will be so pale she will practically glow in the darkness here. Her eyes will be the blue of the skies in the bright midday sun, and she will welcome no touch but my own.”

  Rufussian watched his grandson, his heir apparent, as he spoke of his desired female.

  “None of our people have hair of flame,” Rufussian said. Realizing his grandson had fixated on a female not of their own kind, and that the description was far too reminiscent of the prophecy he fought back his own fear of almost daily.

  Tyrisey met his grandfather’s eyes, daring him to call him out on his excursions into the night above their caves. “She is not of our kind. But she is wild and untamed and will be my spoil of war.”

  “War with whom, the humans?” Rufussian asked.

  “Only one of them.”

  Rufussian had wondered how long it would be for Tyrisey to decide to take down his brother. “There is only one that I believe you want to wage war against. Am I correct?”

  “Most likely,” Tyrisey snarled.

  “I believed that perhaps you’d decided to let him live.”

  Tyrisey snarled louder.

  “Surely, you took your time deciding that he deserved to die.”

  “I’ve watched, waited, determining the best way to bring about his downfall. This will be it.”

  “So, he has taken a female.” Rufussian said, watching his grandson, the twisted mind that he’d personally helped form working behind his twitching eyes. “You’ll kill him then, and take his female.”

  Tyrisey smiled, evilly. “No. I’ll take her for my own and leave him to suffer the knowledge each and every day. I will watch him crumble, watch him become a simpering, suffering shell of the man he thinks he is now.”

  Rufussian smiled. “You have learned well, Tyrisey. Death is not always the best punishment.” He watched the man before him, as he paced back and forth, clearly anxious to have his brother’s female in his hands.

  “He will come for her, you know,” Rufussian said.

  “If he is stupid enough to come for her, then, he will die. After he watches me mate her and plant my whelp in her belly! Once he has seen her submit and welcome me, I will kill him. And if his parents come for him, they will die as well. After I show them the desecrated body of their precious chosen son,” Tyrisey snarled.

  Rufussian knew the vengeance that lived in Tyrisey’s heart. He’d been the one to plant the seed, and fan the tiny grain of resentment to life. He’d learned of the survival of Malenia’s other son, and he’d started the hatred in Tyrisey. He’d intentionally led Tyrisey to believe his parents had abandoned him here, and left to go live a better life with his brother, casting Tyrisey aside because they’d thought him unworthy, ugly, unable to even look upon him.

  Rufussian had often told Tyrisey of the happy life Jamisey was supposedly living above ground in the human world. He wanted to drive a wedge between the two that could never be spanned. He needed to. He had to avoid the downfall of their people. It behooved him to do all he could to keep the brothers apart. He’d thought he’d taken care of it when he’d killed Malenia, her mate and the other child. But apparently the other child had somehow survived. He’d gone undetected for several years, and once he’d come to Rufussian’s attention, it was too late. He couldn’t kill him. He’d tried, and been unsuccessful. So he’d retreated to his caves and his peoples, all the while building the hatred in Tyrisey, knowing that one day, Tyrisey would take care of his problem for him. Removing the other child from the face of the earth.

  “The prophecies tell of the downfall of your brother. You know this,” Rufussian said, his head tilted to the side, watching the ever increasing agitation of his grandson and heir.

  Tyrisey stopped pacing. “You keep saying this, but I’ve never seen these pages. Where do they tell of his downfall?”

  “You know the pages are gone now, ripped away by those who abandoned you and deemed you less worthy.”

  Tyrisey stalked toward Rufussian. “You actually saw them?” he demanded.

  “Many times, as I’ve always told you.”

  “Tell me again, that I may be sure to execute the prophecies to the best of my ability,” Tyrisey said.

  Rufussian raised his voice and clearly repeated the lines for Tyrisey.

  “Two the brothers, the same.

  One born of fire, and of flames.

  A people to be banned.

  Steal the flame, expose the shame.”

  “It is always the same,” Tyrisey said, his mind rolling the words over and over trying to make sense of them. Reaching for any meaning that could be gained from them.

  “Yes, it is. It isn't supposed to change.”

  “Prophecies can be interpreted many different ways,” Tyrisey said, suspiciously.

  “They can. But this one tells of two brothers. If you do not ban him and his people, he will ban you and yours. Our people will cease to exist. You must steal his flame. Perhaps his flame is this woman you speak of. You must strike first and be sure that our people triumph. Be sure it is you and our people who are not left in shame.”

  “I will see to it, Grandfather.”

  “I am sure you will.”

  Tyrisey eyed the doorway that led into a private study, which housed the book of prophecies on a great stone pedestal.

  “Do you wish to study the tomes again?” Rufussian said, gesturing with his hand toward the book.

  “I do.”

  “Then, go. Take your time. Perhaps it will reveal something to you that it hasn’t to me,” Rufussian said, graciously, a devious smile on his face. It was no hardship for him to manipulate Tyrisey’s mind as he did. It was how he managed all his people — manipulation. His mind wandered to the true prophecy. The one no one but himself knew. The one that he feared the most. He couldn’t allow it to come true. If he did, he and all his people would be swallowed up and their heritage lost. He couldn’t allow them to become one with the humans. His power would be lost. His people lost. Everything, every single core of existence that he’d lived all his life would have been for naught. That alone was the sole reason he’d twisted his grandson with such a vehement need for vengeance. To be sure that the boy would remove his enemies from their path and continue to lead their people in the shadows, quietly living their own existence without influence of all outsiders. He would have a legacy, his name would mean something, and his grandson would see to it.

  Chapter 8

  The sun was just setting when Ruby slammed the door to her dusty Jeep Cherokee and dragged herself inside the diner. She stopped at the front counter and waited for Mildred to notice her.

  Mildred looked up and saw her standing there. “Ruby. You look like you been rode hard and put up wet.”

  Ruby raised a single eyebrow at her. “What does that even mean?”

  Mildred snickered. “Means you look r
ough, girl. You okay?”

  “Yes. This heat is a killer. And I hiked around the area all day and found nothing. No trace at all of anything, much less a bat. Why would Jaime send me on a wild goose chase like that?”

  “He didn't. Maybe you just weren’t looking in the right place. If you ask him politely, he might take you to just the right spot.”

  “We watched them out past the farmers’ market last night, but he said I shouldn’t go back there and told me to go out past his shop.”

  “He’s right.”

  “But I didn’t see anything.”

  “He’ll show you the right place. Just ask nicely. Now, what can I get you for dinner?”

  The door opened behind Ruby, but she didn’t turn around to see who it was.

  Ruby sighed. “I don’t know. It’s too hot to eat. I just want a shower and to go to bed. But I suppose I’ll have to settle for sponging off in the sink and then trying to sleep. I’m exhausted. Not much sleep last night, and the heat all day. I’ve had it ‘til tomorrow morning.”

  “You should eat something. If you decide you’re hungry later, just let yourself back in here. I always store whatever’s left in the walk in back there.” Mildred handed Ruby a large cup filled with crushed ice and water.

  “Thanks, Mildred.”

  “You’re welcome. Now get cleaned up and get some rest.”

  Jaime opened the door to the diner and stepped inside. He found himself staring at the back of the head of the woman he’d decided he both needed to avoid and hunt down. He couldn’t quite decide which he wanted at the moment. But one thing was clear. She was worn out. And she wanted a shower and a quiet night.

  He waited quietly behind her to see if she’d turn around and look at him, but she didn’t. She just gratefully accepted the cup of iced water and headed back toward the diner’s bathroom. He heard the back door open and close and realized she wasn’t even cleaning up.

  Jaime looked back at the counter and saw that Mildred was watching him with an amused look on her face.

  “What?” he asked.

  “You know what.”

  “No. I do not. And besides, it ain’t none of your business if I did know what.”

  “She’s special, Jaime. Don’t be hurting her,” Mildred said, uncharacteristically concerned.

  Jaime regarded her thoughtfully for several moments. Finally he shook his head. “I don’t want to hurt her, Aunt Mildred. I’m afraid the shoe’s on the other foot this time. I’m wanting more of her than she’s wanting of me. And the more I try to stay away, the stronger the need to be near her.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, staring at the place he’d last seen her before she walked out of view.

  “Maybe you should offer an olive branch. Be nice. Be honest. Tell her about you. Let her decide.”

  “You know I can’t do that! I’m not gonna share anyone with him! Especially not one I really care about!” Jaime shouted.

  “She’s the flame,” Clarence said, without looking up from the table he and Francis shared.

  Jaime looked over at Clarence’s back. “Don’t ya’ll ever leave that damn table?”

  “Yup. Sometimes. And she’s the flame, boy.”

  “She’s not.”

  “She is.”

  Jaime turned and walked toward the front door.

  “Where you going?” Mildred asked him.

  He paused, one hand on the doorknob, holding it open, the other hand wiping the back of his neck. “No reason I can’t be nice to her while she’s here. Going to rig her a shower like I used to do.”

  Mildred nodded. “Jaime, she might be the flame.”

  Jaime met his aunt’s eyes. “All the more reason to let her go. I can’t sentence her to a life like that. And he and I would kill each other. Then where’d she be?”

  “You don’t know that.”

  Jaime let out a single laugh. “Yeah. I do. Nobody’s gonna touch her. Nobody. And if anyone tries. Especially my brother. I’ll kill him.”

  “You need to talk to her, Jaime. The prophecy says…”

  “I know! I know what it says. And I’ll be no part of it.”

  “She even likes bats, boy!” Clarence yelled from across the diner.

  Jaime shook his head and walked through the door, letting it close behind him.

  <<<<<<<>>>>>>>

  Ruby stripped off all but her boy shorts panties and sports bra and laid across her bed, the windows in her room both opened wide to allow in any kind of breeze at all.

  She’d guzzled the water that Mildred had given her and rubbed the ice behind her neck and across her chest. She was exhausted. She’d hiked for more than ten hours and didn’t think she could move if she wanted to. She closed her eyes and listened to the water trickling and the bumping around on the other side of the wall her bed rested against.

  Her brows wrinkled and she opened her eyes. Water trickling? What the hell? There was nothing out there to trickle water, only an empty cement slab. Then a knock sounded.

  Ruby got up and stomped barefoot over to the door, snatching it open to glare at whoever was there.

  “Hey, Ruby.”

  “What?”

  “Can’t even say, hey?” Jaime asked.

  “I’m mad at you.”

  “Why are you mad this time?”

  “How do you know I’m not just still mad? But if you must know, it’s because you had me trekking all over the desert today and I saw nothing. Not one single creature, much less a bat. And if I’d listened to my gut, I could have just gone back to where we were last night and I’d have found plenty of evidence to document and could have waited til this evening and watched the colony leaving again. But no, I had to listen to you and you sent me on a wild goose chase!”

  “I didn’t, Ruby. I know where there are some secluded caves out past my place. I’ll take you there if you want.”

  Ruby just glared at him. Then she noticed his arms were wet, and his boots were wet. “Why are you wet?” she asked with a tone in her voice.

  “I made you a shower. It’s not much. But it’s how I used to take one while I lived here. Only I put up walls for you so nobody can watch you. I used to just kind of hose off and didn’t care who saw,” he finished on a shrug.

  Ruby’s eyes practically glazed over. “A shower?” she asked, hopefully.

  “Yeah, but it’s not hot water, it’s from the hose, so it’s cool, but even water from the hose out here isn’t very cold.”

  Ruby let out a little sigh like the thought itself was heaven.

  “You wanna see?” he asked, holding his hand out.

  “Yes, please,” she answered, putting her hand in his and allowing him to lead her out to the side of the small storage building that was serving as her room. Once she was outside, she saw right away what he’d done. He’d run ropes from the side of her storage building/room and tied them off at the back corner of the diner, then he’d run another one back toward her place and run one down the side of her building. Then he’d tossed blue, plastic tarps across the ropes, creating a privacy shield for her.

  Jaime held one back for her to step inside the small enclosure. “Here, let me show you.” He waited for her to step inside onto the cement pad, then he followed her onto it.

  “You turn the hose on over at the diner, just to the right of the back door. Then it feeds into this steel colander up here, and rains down on you like a shower. Like I said, it’s only cold right now, but it’s better than nothing. And if you want a hot shower, you’re welcome to come to my place any time you want. But I find I rarely take hot showers, just makes you sweat more.”

  “Then when I’m done, just turn the water off at the faucet on my way back in?” she asked, already reaching to the edges of her sports bra to pull it off over her head.

  “Yep. That’s it.”

  “Jaime. I fucking love you!”

  Jaime’s eyes rounded, the corner of his mouth turned up.

  “I cannot believe you built me a shower. I owe you. Th
ank you, so, so, so much!” she said, shoving her boy shorts down her legs.

  Jaime’s eyes almost bugged out. “Uuh, Ruby?”

  “Yeah?” she asked, stepping over to stand beneath the colander he had rigged to become a shower head.

  “You want me to maybe turn on the water for you?” he asked, eyes glued to her naked body, covered with his marks.

  “Yes, and please bring me my shampoo and my body wash.”

  Jaime grinned. “Alright. I’ll be right back.” He stepped off the cement pad and into the grass and dirt, making him realize he needed to put something there so she wouldn’t need to step into the mud the shower would no doubt make. He walked over to the faucet outside the back door of the diner and called out to her. “Here it comes!” He turned the water on and listened to it traveling the length of the hose and then, eventually splattering on the cement and Ruby’s squeal at the cool water falling down on her.

  Jaime grinned and went into her room to get the things she’d asked for. He rummaged around in her bag and found her shampoo and body wash. Then on the way out noticed her flip flops and took her those, too, so she wouldn’t have to walk in the mud.

  Jaime pulled back the blue tarp that he’d used to make Ruby’s shower and stepped inside with her. The tarps encompassed about a 10 x 10 foot area so there was plenty of room for him to be inside it with her. “Here ya go,” Jaime said, handing her toiletries to her.

  Ruby opened her eyes. She was standing directly beneath the huge colander, the cool water raining down on her, smiling at him as the water coursed down her face and then down her body.

  She reached out to take the bottles from him. “You are officially forgiven,” she said, smiling at him.

  Jaime chuckled. “Well that’s good to know.”

  Ruby squirted some shampoo in her hand and put her head back, closing her eyes, and started washing her hair. “This is wonderful, Jaime. Thank you so much for going to all this trouble for me. I appreciate it more than you know.”

  “You’re welcome, Ruby,” he said throatily, watching her as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair. She put the shampoo down and filled her hand with body wash.