by Brey Willows
He got up and left, and she thought he shuffled slightly. Ama watched him go before turning to Alec. “Can I help?”
“Ama, you’re not from our department, so maybe you have a different perspective. Have you read the file? What’s your take on it?”
“We have similar beings to your Fates in our department, obviously. We always have. But like Z said, when it comes to this, we’ve got a big blank spot. I’ve checked with the P.A.s and data workers in other departments, just in case the higher-ups didn’t want to tell Z the truth. We’re the only ones with the information, and we’re the only ones with you.” She reached across the table and took Alec’s hand in her own. “If I can help, tell me. I’ll do anything I can, you know that. You might have to do the contact and research work on your own, but you’ve got plenty of us behind you to support you through it. You’re not alone, Alec.”
“We’ve got five floors of people stronger, older, and wiser than me. And we’re basing the fact that it has to be me because of this?” Alec waved a piece of paper from the file. “I thought we’d moved beyond this a hell of a long time ago.”
“We did. We had. And then people started fading. I mean, fuck, Alec. Did you know there’s a section on the second floor that no longer exists? It’s gone. Just…gone. They were fading, yeah, but we didn’t think they’d just go like that. But something must have shifted out there, because suddenly, we’ve got a bunch of empty desks and half-full coffee cups.”
“Not half-empty?” Alec asked with a small grin, trying to lighten Ama’s mood.
She squeezed Alec’s hand before letting go and standing up to leave. “I’ll believe it’s half-full until you tell me otherwise. I believe in you, Alec. We need you to believe too.”
She left and Alec put her head back down on the table. Belief seemed like a lake in the middle of a desert. Possible, but unlikely. She thought about what Zed had said. It was time to move forward.
She pulled out her cell and dialed Selene.
“Hello?”
Alec heard the tremor in Selene’s voice. To a normal person, it wouldn’t have been present. But Alec could hear nuance and emotion better than most beings, and Selene sounded sad.
“Hey there. It’s Alec.”
The relief in Selene’s voice was almost palpable. “Hi. What a nice surprise.”
“Good to know. It’s a beautiful day, and I was wondering if you wanted to hit Venice Beach with me today, for a stroll and maybe some late afternoon pizza?”
“It’ll be practically empty this time of year. And it’s kind of cold.”
“Venice is never really empty, and you can dress warm.”
Selene laughed. “Okay, fair enough. What time?”
“Why don’t I pick you up around four?”
“You can come here, but we’ll take my car. Finding parking for your behemoth will be a nightmare.”
“Hey now, be nice. She’s a big girl, but she’s light on her feet.” Alec was glad to hear some of the fear leave Selene’s voice. “I’ll see you in an hour.”
Alec hung up and headed for the kitchen. She could hear Edesia singing in Italian, and it eased her worries, if only for a moment. She stopped in the kitchen doorway and watched as the Roman beauty moved around the room as though it were an extension of her own body. Mouth-watering aromas filled the air, from the fresh herbs hanging from the ceiling to whatever delectable dish was in one of the many ovens. The Italian department ran the company’s cantina, and the menus were always superb. When Edesia turned and saw Alec, she stopped singing and opened her arms.
“Alec, my lover of the ages. What brings you to my humble domain?”
Alec returned her hug. Edesia gave amazing hugs. Full body things that made you feel truly cared for. She didn’t want to let go, but time was important.
“I was wondering if you could whip me up a picnic for the beach. Something low stress but nice.”
“Of course I can, silly woman. Which beach, and for how many?”
“Venice, for two.”
Edesia pressed her hand over Alec’s heart. “Is this part of your mission?”
“Does everyone know?” Somehow, it rubbed Alec wrong that it was common knowledge. If she failed, everyone would know who it was that led them to their demise.
“No. Not everyone. Although everyone knows what kind of crisis we’re in. People are fading from every department, all the time. The ones who don’t have friends among us go even faster.”
“I’m going to do everything I can, Edie. I promise.”
Edesia gave her another bone-crushing hug. “I know you will. And we’re all behind you.” She gave Alec a playful shove away. “Now, go. Come back in thirty minutes and I’ll have your basket ready.”
She turned away, but not before Alec saw the tears in her eyes. It took a lot to make a goddess like Edesia cry, and Alec’s heart ached. If she didn’t succeed, tears would be the least of their worries.
On her way home to change, she considered her next move. Seduction seemed seedy. Clearly, something had gone wrong with Selene and Mika, and she wouldn’t pretend to be sorry about that. As far as Alec was concerned, Mika was part of the problem they were facing, and she was glad to have Selene away from that influence.
Selene had looked amazing at the club the night before. Dressed in black, she’d looked sexy, sweet, and dangerous all at once. No one else knew just how scared and insecure she was under those figure perfect clothes. But that fear and naivety could have gotten her in serious trouble, had Alec not decided to follow her after all. Granted, she might have gone somewhat overboard with the attackers, who wouldn’t be sleeping well for a very long time to come. But she’d be damned if she’d allow them to prey on women anymore. That it was Selene they’d attacked made it all the worse.
Once home, she stripped and unfurled her wings, letting them free, allowing herself to breathe deeply. She’d be completely covered today, as usual. The chill weather at the beach would give her good reason to keep on her sweatshirt. She didn’t want any questions about her tattoos, not yet. The time for that would come. She pulled out her black jeans, a deep purple turtleneck, and her black boots. She pulled her wings back in, then dressed efficiently. She wanted to look nice, but not like she was trying too hard. If Selene found her attractive, so much the better. Maybe. Grabbing her black leather jacket on her way out, she glanced in the mirror. Let’s put on a show.
*
“I’d forgotten how nice it can be at the beach in the winter,” Selene said as they strolled down the boardwalk, stopping to look at the occasional painting or craft. There were far fewer street vendors and performers than usual, but as Alec had said, there were still enough to keep things interesting. The roller skating man and his electric guitar nodded at them and smiled as he skated past, not interested in money today, just in making folks happy.
“I love it at the beach in winter. All over the world, it’s the same. People hunker down, hibernate. But being outside in winter can be magical.”
Selene laughed. “I’m not sure I’ve ever thought of Venice as magical.”
Alec grinned but motioned around them seriously. “What’s more magical than people free to express themselves in any way they want, without fear of reprisal? People existing alongside one another, supporting one another, being creative and vocal?” They stopped to admire some African carvings. The man selling them gave them a polite nod, then turned back toward the weak winter sun.
They walked on, and Selene broke the easy silence. “I’d honestly never thought of it that way. I mean, I assumed Venice was unique, a nutty place found only in California. I know it’s one of the older cities in California, and has a long history of being a slum. That often leads to a counter culture, which is probably why The Doors and Jane’s Addiction formed here.”
Alec raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t picture you being a fan of either of those.”
Selene laughed. “You don’t have to be a fan in order to know things. Although, that sai
d, there are songs by both I really like.”
She blushed slightly and Alec laughed. “Okay, counter culture girl, where do you want to eat?” She swung the old-fashioned picnic basket. “This thing is getting heavy.” It wasn’t. She could carry fifty of them all day long and not notice. But she wanted somewhere more intimate, a place they could talk. “I hope it’s okay I went with something other than pizza.”
“As much as I love pizza, I can’t wait to see what you brought. Can we sit out on the sand? Or would that be too messy?”
Selene looked hopeful, like a child asking for something but expecting the answer to be no.
“I love sitting on the sand to eat. There’s nothing like filling your stomach with amazing food and seeing the surreal expanse of ocean in front of you. Let’s do it.” The excitement in Selene’s expression made Alec wish she could take it back, and say it all over again, if only to see that expression once more.
Selene hurried over to the stairs leading down to the sand and took off her Birkenstocks. She rolled up the hems of her jeans and jumped down. “Oh, it’s cold!”
Alec laughed and followed suit, placing her boots on top of the picnic basket. “I’ll follow you. Anywhere you want to go.” She winced inwardly, the import of the words far more true than Selene could realize.
“That sounds promising.” Selene bit her lip and blushed again before she turned and set off toward the water. When she’d found a spot with no one near them for at least thirty feet in any direction, she knelt gracefully. “Here okay?”
Alec set the basket between them, needing a bit of distance. The more time she spent with Selene, the more she liked her. And while that would help them work together, eventually, she didn’t want to have any deeper feelings that could complicate matters. Like things aren’t already complicated enough. She took out the plates and silverware, then the tubs of antipasti, lasagna, and salads. She nestled them in the sand and handed Selene a serving spoon. “Go for it.”
Selene looked at the food, then back at Alec. “Wow. I thought you just had sandwiches and chips in there. You didn’t cook this, did you?”
Alec swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry. “No, not this particular dish, although I do like to cook when I have the chance.” She concentrated on putting food on plates as she figured out how to lie without lying. “A friend of mine is a great cook, and she does this kind of thing for people all the time.”
Selene moaned with a mouthful of food. “Oh my God. This is amazing. Please tell me your friend has somewhere I can get this again?”
Alec took a bite of lasagna and thanked Edie mentally for the delicious fare. “Not really, no. Maybe one day I’ll take you to her place. It’s…private.”
Selene looked dubious. “Okay, I’ll go with that, for now.”
They ate silently, watching the waves crash onto the dark, reflective shore. When they’d finished and packed the food away, Selene leaned back on her elbows and stretched her legs in front of her. She dug her toes in the sand. “Who knew it would be so fortuitous to have coffee spilled on you by a stranger.” She glanced at Alec, then back to the water. “Honestly, things have been really confusing lately, and last night was a perfect end to it. Being able to go out and be normal like this is so unexpected. And so…nice.”
“I’m sorry you had such a bad week. Want to talk about it?”
Selene sighed. “I’ve got so much going on. My life was so quiet, so organized. And all of a sudden it seems like everything is up in the air. I hate it when that happens.”
“You like things calm? Stable?”
“Exactly.” She dug her toes deeper into the cold sand. “My life wasn’t easy, growing up. It wasn’t stable, and that’s what I want now. I think it is, anyway.”
Alec thought about Selene’s mother, about the things she knew, and felt guilty at the subterfuge. “That makes sense. Difficult parents?”
“No parents, not really. I grew up in foster care. I never knew either of my parents. I don’t know what happened to either of them. I went through a number of foster homes before I finally ended up with the Johnsons. A lot of foster homes, actually. One of them only lasted three months, before they decided I was a distraction their biological son didn’t need. I think the mother was more worried about her husband than her son, though. Creepy bastard. I never fit in with the families I stayed with, and some of them…well, thankfully, I was able leave before things got really bad, usually. By the time I was fourteen, I’d been in twelve foster homes. I stayed with the Johnsons for four years, until I was eighteen. We’re not close, but I consider them my family. I see them on holidays and we talk a few times a year.”
“Do they live nearby?” Alec asked. She’d been to their home doing her research, but she still had to ask. Lying was making the lasagna sour in her stomach.
“No, they live in Denver. Most of my life was there. I just knew I needed to get away, somewhere warmer and not landlocked.” Selene gave her a quick, sad smile. “Enough about me. What about you? What’s your story?”
Alec’s skin crawled and she glanced around, looking for the person she could feel watching them, but she couldn’t see anyone lurking. Unless it’s someone I can’t see…someone who doesn’t want to be seen. She looked up when Selene coughed lightly. “Sorry, I’m easily distracted these days.” She shrugged and tried her most charming smile. “My story isn’t nearly as interesting as yours. Two disinterested parents, two sisters. No drama to speak of between us. Pretty average, really.”
“And does your family live nearby?”
“My sisters do, and we’re pretty close. We do a lot of things together. My parents…they run a major company, so they’re often traveling.” She shrugged, hoping to derail the line of questions she couldn’t truthfully answer. Yet.
“It must be nice, having a close family. I always thought I’d like to have siblings, but then, there were often other kids in the foster homes I grew up in, and I never really clicked with any of them. I was always so…different.”
An answering dejection filled Alec in response to the sadness in Selene’s eyes. When Selene found out the truth, would she want to help? Or would her resentment cause her to walk away? The thought of losing their one hope, as well as what small connection she already had with Selene, made her stomach turn even more. “Okay, enough serious stuff. Let’s talk about fun things. What’s your favorite board game?”
Selene laughed, the worry lines in her forehead easing quickly. “I haven’t played one in years. Uno, maybe?”
“Uno isn’t a board game, it’s a card game. Try again.” Alec grinned and wiggled her eyebrows.
“I didn’t know there were rules to the ‘what’s your favorite game’! Okay, Sorry.”
“You don’t have to be sorry. I wasn’t being serious.”
Selene laughed and shook her head. “I mean Sorry the board game. That’s my favorite.”
“Ah, got it. Mine is Rummikub.”
Selene frowned and tilted her head in the way Alec was coming to know meant she was giving something serious thought.
“I don’t know that one.”
“It uses domino type pieces. It’s a strategy thing. Maybe I’ll show you one day.”
Selene looked down at Alec’s hand in the sand, picked up a handful of sand in her own, and drizzled the cool grains over Alec’s knuckles. Somehow, it was more erotic than anything else she could think of having experienced. And she had a fair amount of experience. She shivered and pointed at the horizon. “Watch.”
Selene followed the direction of Alec’s finger and sighed. The sun looked like it was sinking into the ocean, bit by bit, and then faster as the middle of it was obscured by waves, until finally, the edge sat like a crescent over the pulsing water.
Alec leaned closer to Selene and whispered, “Now. Right now is my favorite part. When the tip…” She waited as the very edge of the sun dipped below the horizon. “The tip leaves in a last little flashing gasp, like it’s struggling to stay with us.�
� Just like the world I’m trying to save.
Selene placed her hand gently over Alec’s. “That’s beautiful. And so sad.”
Alec shook off the feeling of melancholy sweeping over her. She concentrated briefly, but the feeling of being watched had disappeared. Whatever it was, she’d figure it out later. For now, she could focus on Selene. “We were supposed to be having fun. Now. What’s your favorite color?”
*
Selene flopped backward onto her bed. It felt like her smile was permanent, and her cheeks hurt. They’d spent the next hour laughing over each other’s favorite things, and unlike Mika’s teasing, which was often sharp, Alec’s was gentle and sweet. More than once she’d seemed almost shy, embarrassed to be sharing things about herself.
Selene stretched, her body feeling light, infused with a kind of happy she couldn’t remember feeling in a long time. If ever.
The phone rang and she jumped to answer it, part of her hoping it would be Alec. Not that she’d call when she just dropped me off. But still.
She answered and was momentarily taken aback when it wasn’t Alec, but a deep man’s tone instead.
“Selene. Good to hear your lovely self. How are you, philosopher extraordinaire?”
She blinked, trying to place the voice, her euphoria over her time with Alec still clouding her mind. “I’m sorry, who is this?”
There was a moment’s pause before the man answered. “It’s Frey. I’m disappointed I’m not more memorable.”
Selene flushed, instantly on guard. “Mr. Falconi, my apologies. We have only met the once, though, in my defense. How are you?”
“I’ll let it go this time, but I hope you’ll learn it well enough to hear it across a crowded room soon. Have you given my offer any more thought?”
